Endemic flora and fauna In the National Park, there is exceptionally large number of endemic flora and fauna taxa, such as: 29 algae taxa, 12 species of flower plants, 68 invertebrate animal taxa and 4 vertebrate animal taxa. Besides, the Park has many other endemic taxa for Macedonia and the Balkans such as: 46 vascular plants taxa, 89 invertebrate animal taxa and 14 vertebrate animal taxa. Because of the existence of these species, the Park is of immense importance for the conservation of the biological variety in Macedonia, but also for the science globally. Species of great socioeconomic importanceThere are a large number of plants and fungi in the Park which are gathered for their nutritional, healing and aromatic features, for personal or commercial use. Among the plants gathered in the Park, we can single out the Ohrid Tea (Sideritis rаeseri) as a healing plant. From the other products in the Park we can separate the spruce flowers from the Blue spruce (Juniperus communis). Given the fact that the productive cycle of the blue spruce is 4 years, the quantities of collecting its products are variable. In the past twenty years, the quantities of this product marked constant increase due to the succession of large areas of secondary alpine pastures spruce. Species which are highly recognizable and attractive for the locals and the visitorsFrom the higher plants those are: Helichrysum zivojini, Crocus cvijic, Sideritis rаeseri, Astragalus mayeri, Juniperus excelsa, Morina persica, Sempervivum galicicu, Quercus trojana, Genista radiata and Lilium heldreichii. From the fungi, in this group of species belong: Amanita caesarea, Battarraea phalloides, Hymenochaete cruenta, Myriostoma coliforme, Pisolithus arhizus and Pyrofomes demidoffii. From the invertebrate animals: Saga pedo, Rosalia alpina, Lucanus cervus, Anax imperator, Paracaloptenus caloptenoides, Calosoma sycophanta and Carabus gigas. In the vertebrate animals we can include a large number of the birds, especially the birds of prey, the pelicans and many others. From the mammals: the brown bear (Ursus arctos), the lynx (Linx linx), the wolf (Canis lupus), the wild goat (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), the red deer (Cervus elafus) and the doe (Capreolus capreolus).Beside the biological variety, among the crucial natural values of the Park are the rare geomorphologic phenomena. Old Galicica and the island “Big City” according to their overall geomorphologic characteristics are considered rare or unique forms in South- East Europe. From the separate relief forms of Old Galicica we can separate the grass terraces towards the Prespa side of Galicic,a which by their specific characteristics are considered unique and exceptionally rare in the Euro-Mediterranean region and globally. Beside them, as much important are considered the stone hoes inside the cirques of Old Galicica which are rear or unique forms in South-East Europe, while the very cirques are of national importance. Namely, on the Galicica Mountain the karst phenomena are representative of the dominant genetic type of relief forms. Galicica is a typical karst area on which the Triassic massive limestone lies across the crystal schist. Those are terrains that were exposed on the external factors for a very long time which initiated the process of karstification. Micro and macro relief surface karst forms are noticed, among which the largest on Galicica Mountain are the karst fields. There are four of them: Suvo Pole, Sharboica (Asan Giura), Vardul and Giafa. All of them mainly have latitudinal direction of starching same as Galicica. The bottom of every field is approximately on the same height from 1480 to 1440 A.S.L. From the underground karst forms there are around ten caves and two pits registered so far. From the genetic types of shores along the Ohrid and Prespa coast, along the foot of the Mountain Galicica, especially striking are the tectonic and typically abrasive ones. The latter are caused by the mechanical movements of the waves which created steep sections - cliffs.There are many springs that flow into the lake from the territory of Macedonia, as well as the ones from Albania. The most prominent springs from the Macedonian side that can be found in many legends and folk songs are the Black Drim River Springs at the St. Naum Monastery, whereas from Albania are the Tushemisht Springs.With its unique flora and fauna, Lake Ohrid is considered to be one of the biggest biological reservoirs in Europe. From the very first scientific researches that had been done during the 20th century it has been discovered that in the Lake Ohrid, as one of the oldest lakes on the planet, ancient life forms that do not exist anywhere else in the world or can be found only as fossils, have survived here.Lake Ohrid fish fauna has an exceptional significance and consists of 17 species, ten of which are endemic. They are divided into three groups: trout, white fish and eels. The most famous among the endemic species that belong to the family of Trouts are “Letnica” (Salmo Letnica) and “Belvica” (Salmo Ohridanus). The other species that inhabit this rich lake basin are: the eel (Anguilla anguilla), the chub (Leuciscus Cephalus), the carp (Cyprinus carpio), the barbell (Barbus fluvialis), the roach (Rutilus rubilius ohridanus), as well as the little bleak (Alburnus, alburnus Alborella).Ohrid round sponge (Ochridaspongia rotunda), endemic to Lake Ohrid is one of the most interesting relic form of the lake, although there are other sponge species that are more prevalent in the lake basin. The scientists compare the Ohrid round sponge only to the endemic sponges of the Tiberias Lake (the Sea of Galilee) in the Middle East and the Lake Baikal in Siberia. The conclusion of the scientists is that Ohrid, Baikal and Tiberias sponges are very old remains of the ancient life forms from the Euro-Asian region and each species exist even today in their own lake basin.The systematic researches of the Lake Ohrid have started in 1922 by Dr. Sinisha Stankovic, PhD. His scientific work about the ancient flora and fauna have lasted more than half a century up until his death. He proved that Lake Ohrid is inhabited by a tremendous number of endemic and completely unknown life forms and for that reason this lake presents a “Unique Natural Museum”. Therefore, Lake Ohrid is one of the rarest natural reservoirs on our planet, and what is very important from a scientific point of view is that this lake has not changed geologically for quite a long time. Exactly for this reason Lake Ohrid is considered as an ideal laboratory for discovering many secrets regarding the origins and the existence of life forms on the planet.The fauna and flora which characterizes with its immense biodiversity of endemic and ancient species gives a special attribute to the lake on a world level. Although the number of the endemic species is the highest in the Lake Baikal, where there are 632 endemic species, the Lake Ohrid with its 212 endemic species spread out on the lake surface of 358 km2, is distinguished in the world as lake with greatest biodiversity per area unit. (Albrecht & Wilke, 2008).