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Overview
The Special Zoological Reserve of Kopacki Rit, also a Ramsar Site and Nature Park, lies in the far east of Croatia close to the border with Serbia.
The reserve covers part of the flood-plain of the Danube and Drava Rivers and consists of extensive wet forest with numerous oxbows and channels, large reedbeds and a series of fishponds. This site has long been an important breeding area for waterbirds and herons in particular. In fact, more than 130 species are known to breed in the area.
In addition Kopacki Rit has a history of attracting large numbers of passage and wintering birds.
Birds
Notable Species
Both bitterns, Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Great White Egret, and Little Egret all breed as well as both storks and Great Cormorant and Pygmy Cormorant. Other breeders include Greylag Goose and Ferruginous Duck and the area has raptors such Black Kite, White-tailed Eagle and Saker Falcon. Whiskered Tern also breeds in good numbers.
Passerines are numerous and varied with Savi's Warbler, Great Reed Warbler and Penduline Tit in the reedbeds and Lesser Grey Shrike in the farmland.
Kopacki Rit is a very important site for passage Eurasian Spoonbill and Common Crane as well as many species of wader. Autumn sees the arrival of geese and other waterfowl. Bean Goose is especially numerous and up to 50,000 may be present through the winter.
Small numbers of Greater Spotted Eagle are regular in winter.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Bittern, Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Black Stork, White Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greylag Goose, Tundra Bean Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Black Kite, White-tailed Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, Common Kestrel, Northern Hobby, Saker Falcon, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Corncrake, Common Crane, Dunlin, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Whiskered Tern, Eurasian Hoopoe, Savi's Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Penduline Tit, Lesser Grey Shrike
Other Wildlife
Molluscs, various insects, forty-four freshwater fish species, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
Site Information
History and Use
Kopacki rit was first managed after the Belje manor had been founded and granted by Leopold I, the Hungarian-Croatian king in 1699. From then on, prince Eugene of Savoy managed the manor until 1784. Afterwards, it was under the lease of the Habsburg family up to 1918. From 1920 this area was declared as the king's, Aleksandar Karađorđević's, reserve while from 1941-1944, under the Hungarian kingdom, it was managed by the Hungarian National Museum that founded a biological station called “Albertina.” The “Jelen” hunting and forest economy managed Kopacki rit after World War II up to 1959 and from 1967 the area became a Managed Natural Reserve. From 1997, Kopacki rit Nature Park Management Office manages the Nature Park.
Kopački rit was designated on the List of Ramsar areas in 1993. Protected areas on that List are protected under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as a waterfowl habitat. The Convention was signed in a city called Ramsar (Iran) in 1971, (so called Ramsar Convention). Croatia is a full member under this Convention from 1991. Kopacki rit is also on the list of Important Bird Areas (IBAs). This program was developed by Birdlife International (a global association for bird protection; their habitat; and global bio-diversity that focuses people to the sustainable usage of natural resources) so to determine, supervise and protect the global network areas that are important habitats for birds and for the bio-diversity in general.
Areas of Interest
It is possible to rent a bike at the Nature park's Visitor Center and cycle along the bike routes through the park.
Bird watching program is available for groups up to 15 persons. The maximum number of species recorded in a one-day tour was 93.
Boat ride is an option as well. Organized boat rides start from the Veliki Sakadas pier and the boat travels from Sakadas lake through Conakut channel to Hordovanj.
Nature trails walk, along the trails with information panels.
Visit Tikves castle complex, consisting of a forest, parks, and residential buildings: new castle with annex, old castle, chapel, and complementary building with a restaurant.
Visit the Centre for sustainable agricultural production, where you can see a large herd of cattle on the pastures, as well as the the herd of Slavonian-Srijem bovines, an authentic species of the region.
Sport angling is permitted in some parts of Kopacki rit, mainly on channels, canals and the Danube River.
Access and Facilities
Kopacki Rit can be reached from Osijek. Head north to Bilje and follow signs for Kopacevo.
Contact Details
To do
External Links
- Kopacki Rit Home page English, German and Italian translations available
- Visiting Kopacki Rit
- Kopacki Rit on Google Maps
Content and images originally posted by Steve
