Photo owner Gian Lieberherr – Link
The Lonjsko Polje Nature Park, with its area of 50,650 ha, is the largest protected wetland not only in the Republic of Croatia, but also in the entire Danube basin. It is located in the alluvial plain of the Sava River in the central basin of the Sava River, between the cities of Sisak and Stara Gradiška. It consists of three fields: Lonjsko, Mokro and Poganovo.
It is counted among the most endangered wetlands in the world, although it is protected by the Ramsar Convention of February 3, 1993.
Natural features
The most significant ecological element in the Lonjsko polje Nature Park are floods that can occur at any time of the year, due to the extraordinary constellations of the Sava River and its tributaries. Water waves are often very large and the Lonjsko Polje Nature Park plays a very important role as a flood defense system for the surrounding population. In this microrelief, a mosaic of different habitats typical of flooded areas is created, which resulted in a rich offer of different features such as various types of wet forests, grasslands, meadows, various types of wetlands and wet areas, but also ditches and canals, as a result of long-term human influence . The park’s area of about 12,000 ha of pasture is used by the cattle of all the locals. They are the last examples of a cultural landscape that once spread throughout Central Europe until the end of the 19th century. With the highest concentration of autochthonous breeds (Croatian posavac, Turopolska pig, Slavonian-Srijem gray cattle) in Croatia, they represent a unique way of managing pastures and at the same time are one of the most important habitats for a large number of rare and endangered plant and animal species.
Photo owner Frka – Link
According to the criteria of the guidelines on birds of the European Union, the park belongs to important habitats for birds (Important Birds Area – IBA). Among others, they are home to: white stork, spoon-billed heron, white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), wild duck, common grebe, common grebe (Crex crex), little cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus), and endangered species such as: steppe falcon (Falco cherrug). , mallard duck (Aythya nyroca), etc. The park also includes the village of Čigoč, where almost every house has its “own” stork nest, which is why in 1994 proclaimed “European Village of Stork”.
A large number of other animals also live there, such as: otter, sharp-eared bat (Myotis bechsteinii), pond turtle (Emys orbicularis), common loggerhead (Hyla arborea), Danube kingfisher (Triturus dobrogicus); and fish: umbra (Umbra krameri), bream (Acipenser ruthenus), Danube trout (Hucho hucho), large bream (Cobitis elongata), Danube carp (Romanogobio uranoscopus), red-tailed whiting (Rutilus pigus), striped bream (Gymnocephalus schraetser), small dragonfly (Zingel streber); but also insects such as: the butterfly Lycaena dispar, Carabus intricatus and the endangered alpine rosalia (Rosalia alpina).
Lonjsko Polje Nature Park is a beautiful protected area in Croatia that attracts many visitors every year. There are several hotels and restaurants located near the park that you can consider during your visit. Here are some options:
Hotels: Near to Lonjsko polje
- Hotel Kurija Jankovic: Located in the nearby town of Stari Grad, this hotel is set in a historic building and offers comfortable rooms, a restaurant, and a garden.
- Hotel Lonia: This hotel is located in the town of Jasenovac, near the park’s northern entrance. It offers modern rooms, a restaurant, and a terrace.
Restaurants: Near to Lonjsko polje
- Kod Žarka: This family-run restaurant is located in the village of Krapje, near the park’s southern entrance. They serve traditional Croatian dishes made with fresh ingredients.
- Ribarska Kuća: Located in the town of Lonja, this restaurant specializes in seafood and river fish dishes. They have a cozy interior and a terrace overlooking the river.
There are also several other options for accommodation and dining in the nearby towns of Kutina, Sisak, and Novska, which are all within driving distance of Lonjsko Polje Nature Park.
The text was taken and translated into English from the Croatian Wikipedia – Link
