Ojców National Park

The National Park Ojców (Polish Ojcowski Park Narodowy ) is a national park in Poland, located in the Malopolska province 16 km north of Krakow ( Cracow ).

Generally

With a total area of ​​21.46 km ² is located in Krakow -Czestochowa Jura National Park, the smallest of its kind in Poland. It includes the valleys of two small rivers - Prądnik and Sąspówka - as well as the adjacent regions of the Jura plateau. Typical of the National Park is formed by Jurassic limestone mountain scenery. By the influence of karst water in the Ojców valleys here a picturesque mountain scenery has been created that is also interrupted by steep gorges of depth up to 120 m. The occurring in the region block limestone is resistant to weathering and provides in the valleys featured Buttes and individual rocks (eg Maczuga Herkulesa " club of Hercules ", Igła Deotymy " needle of Deotyma " etc. ).

The limestone formations of the Jura are karstified powerful and strong up to 200 m. In the National Park there are over 400 karst caves that were inhabited in part prehistoric. One of the longest caves in the park the Łokietek Cave ( 320 m), the Ciemna Cave ( 230 m) and the Zbójecka Cave belong (189 m).

The investigated in the 19th century Jaskinia Ciemna (Eng. "Dark Cave " ) contained layers of Mittelpaläolithikums with typical tools (Keil diameter) of the Neanderthals. In the cave layers also found numerous animal bones, which are regarded as hunting remains of Neanderthals. Further excavations were carried out by Stefan Wincenty Krukowski and Stanisław Kowalski.

Flora

The diversity of the relief and the microclimate has also influenced the number and diversity of flora. It occur around 1000 species of vascular plants of different ecological needs and different backgrounds, including about 50 mountain species and over 100 heat- loving species that are otherwise more typical of southern Europe.

Fauna

The fauna of the national park is extremely rich. So far, about 5500 species are confirmed. Of these, 4,600 insects ( 1700 different species of beetles and butterflies 1075 ). The actual total number is estimated to be about 12,000 species. Among the mammals occurring here include the badger, the Dormouse, the ermine and beaver. In addition, many bats live in caves.