KopaÄki Rit
The Kopački rit is located in eastern Croatia, located near the city of Osijek, near the Draumuendung. This branch is also several creeks and lakes in the vicinity of the Danube. It is one of the largest and most important preserved wetlands in Europe. The area adjacent to the Hungarian Duna - Drava National Park and part of a nature reserve in Serbia. Kopački rit is therefore a wetland extending over three countries.
General data and protection
The area
At this point, the Drava flows into the Danube. For larger floods large areas are inundated by water, making important life - and especially breeding areas arise for many fish species. The floods make the area one of the most important breeding areas for fish in Europe. The appearance of the area varies depending on the dynamics of flooding.
- Height above sea level: 78-86 m.
- The climate falls continental between Central European and Pannon. According to the classification of Köppen: Cfwbx. There are the average data calculated from the measurements of Osijek and Brestovac - Bilje, the annual average temperature is 10.7 ° C, the summer average temperature 21.6 ° C, the average January temperature -1.4 ° C.
- Precipitation: 649 mm / year.
- Soil: Swamp soil, dust, clay, peat, fine sand. Hydro - morphologically sediment and deposits from the Pleistocene and Holocene. For the Danube section of the Pleistocene limestone gravel is ( glina, silt ) characteristic. Seismotektonisch it is a very active area.
- The hydrological network has the following parts: Hulovo as a natural channel, Čonakut, Novi channel, Renovo or Puszta fok, Nađhat, Vemeljski and Dunavas natural channels such as the Kopačko, Bijelo and Sakadaško ponds.
Vegetation
Along the Danube are silver - willow riparian forests ( Galio - Salicetum albae, Salici - Populetum nigrae ) and wetlands. The softwood forests at the confluence of the Drava are the core area of specially protected reserve dar. Northward lie with the Tikveš lock hardwood forests ( Genisto Elatae - Quercetum roboris, Carpino betuli - Quercetum roboris ). Ash - white elms forests ( Fraxino - Ulmetum laevis) have three variants:
Other characteristic plant communities: high - sedge ( Magnocaricetum ), Reed ( Phraghitetum communus ), also " Scirpetum lacustris ", " Scirpes lacustris ", " Typha latifolia ", " Roripa amphibia ", " Nymphaeo - nupharetum "; with as water lily ( Nymphaea albae ) and dough ( Nuhar luteum ) and water plant communities; " Lemno - Spirodeletum polyrhizae ", " Spirodelo - Salvinietum ", " Riccietum fluitantis ", " Lemno - Utricularietum ", " Lemnetum Trisulcae ", " Wolffietum arhizae ", " Lemno - Azolletum ", " Potamogetonetum Lucentis ", " Potamogetonetum graminei " " Potamogetonetum graminei ", " Hottonietum palustris ", " Nymphoidetum peltatae ", " Trapetum natantis ", " Potameto - Ranunculetum circinati ", " Nymphoido - Hippuridetum ", " Eleocharetum acicularis ", " Nanocyperion ", " Scirpo - Phragmetetum ", " Caricetum Elatae "," Caricetum vesicariae "," Caricetum gracilis ".
Nitrofil - frekvente plant communities; " Lolio - Plantaginetum ", " Sclerochloo - Polygonetum avicularis ", " Descurainietum sophiae ", " Echio - Melilotetum ", " Polygono - Bidentetum ", " Ranunculetum scelerati ", " Alopecuretum aequalis ".
There are more than 40 plant communities in the Kopački rit
In Croatia, only here the Laxmanns cattail ( Typha laxmannii Lepech. ) And the sedge Cyperus occurs ( Carex bohemica Schreb. ).
Wildlife
Thanks to the prevailing specific morphological and hydrological conditions is a very diverse plant life has developed, and it contains an equally diverse wildlife.
An interesting invertebrate is the Kopatscher river mussel ( Unio Tumidus kopaciensis ), which is an endemic species of the natural park. They differ by their larger dimensions of the normal water mussels. The mussels play a very important role. They are not only a source of food for many birds, but also on the hook carp ( sericeus amarus Rhodeus ) are used for oviposition and serve as an incubator for the eggs and offspring.
Insects
The insect world of Kopački rit is very rich, but it is still poorly understood. Universally known is the stag beetle (Lucanus cervus ). According to present knowledge, 85 beetle species, more than 40 species of dragonflies, 35 butterflies, 60 moths, 21 species of mosquitoes and more than 30 types of brakes are known. The larvae of dragonflies ( Anisoptera ) develop in the streams, rivers and lakes. For this reason, it can be observed in the vicinity of fresh water. In the whole of Croatia, more than 70 species occur. They are different from each colorful, often seen in very intense colors.
Pisces
In the Nature Park, 44 species of fish. But from the whole area has recorded 55 Arte.
Amphibians and reptiles
It has tallied 11 amphibians and 10 reptiles. The amphibians there is an optimal habitat, with a mosaic of water and arid areas for reproduction and hibernation. The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is also very common.
The nature park is known primarily for its rich bird life. There are 296 bird species in the area before ( 2009). It brooding over 40 Eagle ( Haliaeetus albicilla) pair, 18-20 pairs of black storks (Ciconia nigra), 4-5 pairs of Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug ). 40 pairs of Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta ), 100 pairs of gray geese (Anser anser ), over 100 pairs of ferruginous duck ( Aythya nyroca ) to the 900 pairs of Grey Heron ( Ardea cinerea). For migratory birds, the Kopatscher Aue is a very important recreational, wintering and / or food stop. During the bird migration it is not uncommon to see 30-35 thousand geese birds ( Anseriformes ) at a location, and an army of over a thousand Spoonbill ( Platalea leucorodia ). The now common cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) have a colony of over 1,500 nests in the zoological reserve. Also, the lapwing (Vanellus vanellus ) occurs in large quantities. Not only the purple heron (Ardea purpurea), Great Egret (Egretta alba) or the little egret (Egretta garzetta ) feel in the natural park well. The Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax ) occur with 400 breeding pairs in abundance. Also, the corncrake (Crex crex ) breeds here and the Glossy Ibis ( Plegadis falcinellus ) had already shown nesting attempts. From the black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus), Whiskered Terns ( Chlidonias hybrida ), Black Tern ( Chlidonias nigra) and terns (Sterna hirundo ) are repeatedly what to watch.
- The text drafted by the IUCN bird migration route that goes via the National Park Fertő Hansag also passes through the following areas and among the " biodiversity hotspots ":
- Duna - Drava National Park in Hungary
- Kopački rit in Croatia
- Gornje Podunavlje in Serbia ( Upper section of the Danube )
The realization of a traditional frontiers reaching complex and effective nature conservation would make the area to Europe's unique wetland treasure.
Mammals
Once were 55 species of mammals in the field provided, which is more than 50 % of mammal species in Croatia. Now home to the ground squirrel ( Citellus citellus ), the black rat (Rattus rattus ) and the wolf (Canis lupus) from the paint list. The golden jackal (Canis aureus ) and the European beaver (Castor fiber) but are now to be found again after some time.
From the protection list of the IUCN, it is above 10 species ( 20.41 %); among others, the Geoffroy's bat (Myotis emarginatus ), the pond bat (Myotis dasycneme ) or the otter (Lutra lutra ). Additionally, there are the greater horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus ferrumequinum ), the red squirrel ( Sciurus vulgaris), the pygmy mouse ( Micromys minutus), the Dormouse ( Muscardinus avellanarius ) or the edible dormouse ( glis Myoxus ) frequently observed.
Of the bats, there are 12 species. The rarest are the whiskered bat ( Myotis mystacinus ).
The wildcat ( Felis silvestris ) occurs in good genetic quality. You can still the badger ( Meles meles ), the stone marten (Martes foina ), the pine marten (Martes martes ), the polecat (Mustela putorius ), the Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis ) and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) encounter.
Not just for the birds, the Kopatscher Aue is famous. The red deer population ( Cervus elaphus ) is top quality. It is interesting that the antler is very diverse, probably because they come here from large districts for chucks and couples. The wild boar (Sus scrofa ) is the largest omnivore in the nature park.
The muskrat ( Ondatra zibethicus ) occurs along the canals and it has also seen coypu ( Myocastor coypus ) in the fish ponds. The latter are perhaps originally refugees from a zoo was.