Kopački Rit

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Kopački Rit
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Kopački rit wooden trail.JPG
wooden trail you can take through Kopački rit
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Location of Kopački Rit in Osijek-Baranja County
Location Podunavlje
Nearest city Osijek
Area 177 km2
Established 1976
Administrator State Institute for Nature Protection
Website Official website

Kopački Rit (Kopački Tršćak), is a nature park in eastern Croatia in municipalities of Bilje and Kneževi Vinogradi. It is located northwest of the confluence of the Drava and the Danube, situated at the border with Serbia. It comprises many backwaters and ponds along the Danube. It is one of the most important, largest and most attractive preserved intact wetlands in Europe.

Fauna & Flora

Kopački rit water lilies and reeds

A part of Kopački Rit has been designated as a zoological reserve. Around 260 various bird species nest here (wild geese and ducks, great white egret, white stork, black stork, white-tailed eagle, crows, coots, gulls, terns, kingfishers, European green woodpecker, etc.), and there are many other species using this area as a temporary shelter on migration from the northern, cooler regions to the southern, warmer areas and vice versa.

There are 40-odd fish species (pike, ide, tench, bream, carp, catfish, pike-perch, perch, etc.). Several various mammal species inhabit the land (red deer, roe deer, wild boar, wild cat, pine marten, stone marten, weasel, sable, otter, etc.). Daily passes can be purchased at the visitors center.

Kopački Rit also has over 140 recorded species of plant--some of which are very rare and only found in a few places in Croatia. Notable species include white water lilies (lat. nyphaea alba), irises (lat. iris variegata); azola, black sedge (lat. carex nigra), reeds (lat. phragmites australis); siberian cattail; laxmannov cattail (lat. typha laxmannii); and vodoljub (lat. Butomus umbellatus).

Access

Kopački rit cafe and visitors center

The proximity of the big city of Osijek and its surroundings, as well as excellent communications (by road, railway, plane and ship) enable a high visiting rate. The beauty of "intact" nature, the multitude of waters, flora and fauna attract not only excursionists and visitors but also many experts and scientists from the whole of Europe.

Guided tourist visits by panoramic ships, boats, team of horses or on foot are available. Some packages offer the possibility of photographing or video-recording animals, birds in particular.

Angling and hunting are allowed in certain parts of Kopački Rit, which are put under less strict protection such as Vemeljski Dunavac, Danube river, Podunavlje channels, and the area by the Zlatna greda pump station.

The international bicycle routes "Pannonian Peace Route" and "Danube Route" lead through Kopački Rit, which has become the first centre for cycle-tourists in Croatia. Bikes are also available for rent through the visitors center

Eat & Drink

The regional specialities (fiš paprikaš/fish stew; čobanac/shepherd's stew, gulaš, Baranja-style carp; venison; veal or lamb "pod pekom" or under a clay bell, Belje wines, etc.) can be tasted at a few nearby restaurants, including:

  • Restoran Kormoran - Podunavlje bb, Park prirode Kopački rit, Podunavlje // Tel: +385 (0) 31 75 30 99, +385 (0 )91 175 30 99
  • Baranjska Kuća - Kolodvorska 99, Karanac // Tel: +385 (0) 31 72 01 80, +385 (0) 98 65 29 00
  • Vinarija i Restoran „Josić“ - Planina 194, Zmajevac // Tel: +385 (0) 99 736 59 45, +385 (0) 31 73 44 10

A small cafe serving drinks and ice cream is also located next to the visitors center.

See also

External links

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