For a small country, Albania challenges an important role in maintaining and ensuring the long term survival of the large carnivores of the western and southern Balkan Peninsula. The carnivores seem to be primarily distributed in the last remaining forests throughout the country especially in the areas around the Albanian Alps in the north, the Korab Mountains in the east and the scattered elevated areas in the south, such as in the Karaburun Peninsula, Valamara Mountains and Nemërçka Mountains.