Mantaritza Biosphere Reserve biotic province. The varied fauna includes brown bear "(Ursus arctos)" , red deer "(Cervus elaphus)", roe deer "(Capreolus capreolus)", wild boar (Sus scrofa), pine marten "(Martes martes)", European badger "(Meles meles"), hazel grouse "(Bonasa bonasia)", black woodpecker "(Dryocopus martius)" and European crested tit "(Parus cristatus)". This area has been little affected by man. Before the biosphere reserve was designated in 1977, small-scale selective cutting took place and water reservoirs were constructed. This biosphere reserve is currently under revision. Mantaritza Biosphere Reserve Mantaritza Biosphere Reserve () is situated to the north of Golyama Syutka Peak in the Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria,
Meles (genus) has been much discussion as to whether it is a single species or three distinct species. There are geographical differences between individuals from different parts of the range in skull structure, morphology of the first premolar teeth, and facial markings. Some authorities advocated placing European and Asian badgers in separate species, "Meles meles" and "Meles leptorhynchus" (Milne-Edwards, 1867), the boundary between the two being the Volga River. Others considered there to be three subspecies, "M. m. meles", found west of the Volga, "M. m. arenarius-leptorhynchus", found between the Volga and Transbaikalia, and "M. m. amurensis-anakuma" from the Amur region and