Kopački Rit Nature Park: Introduction

NATURE PARK

Oaks and deer 'telling the story'

Numerous pages have already been written about the Kopački rit phenomenon, hours and hours of beautiful videos have been recorded, thousands of stories have been told- But when something is a phenomenon, then it deserves to be given another line, to remind people once again of this unique living picture book of flora and fauna which, although apparently the same, every now and again surprises and amazes those who admire it daily and even those who live in it. Let alone those who visit it for the first time. And for those who haven't done it yet, they can only be advised to correct this mistake very soon and embark on an adventure they will never forget and will gladly return to again and again.

For really, there are few natural habitats such as Kopački Rit in the world, whose waters, willows, spades, oaks, eagles, deer, roe deer, boars, cormorants- have been telling their own wonderful story for centuries. A story which every traveler can interpret for himself and to his own liking, so it can be a fairy tale but also an adventure novel, it can be a fable as well as a love story. Or maybe a drama, or even a crime story.

The White Water Lily Walking trail

If centuries-old trees of the Tikveš forests could speak, who knows what history would hold today. The history, which in this beautiful landscape was outlined by the nobles of Habsburg and Karađordjević lineages, and later by statesmen like Josip Broz Tito. All of them recognized the wealth of this Baranja pocket located near Osijek. They all knew how to enjoy the benefits of nature offered by Kopački rit. So, how could ordinary people resist it. Especially in the present day of urbanization and concretization, which restrain fields, meadows and forests, tame waters-

Kopački rit can also be seen today as an incident that persistently defies human efforts to steal it from nature, which is certainly contributed by the fact that it was proclaimed a Nature Park and as such is protected from destruction or any kind of devastation.

To come to easter in Croatia and not spend at least one day visiting this European Amazon is an unforgivable sin against nature, which left us the heritage of this beautiful pearl to preserve. A pearl which is only a 13-minute drive away from urban Osijek or, if you prefer, an easy one-hour bike ride from the reception center along Mali Sakadaš Lake.

Here, on the wooden White Water Lily Walking trail, which is 2400 meters

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The unique world of flora and fauna is a place where about 260 different species of birds nest. Along with white-tailed eagles, there are also black and white storks, herons, ducks, coots, turtles, frogs and, of course, mosquitoes.

long and set above the water, at the very beginning you get a glimpse of what awaits visitors in the rest of the Park, in the rest of this great swamp.

In addition to the beautiful scenery, there are educational panels with pictures and descriptions of plants and animals and all the characteristics of this habitat, which tell about the richness of this ecosystem.

"The Swan" and "The Otter" will guide you

An easy walk will take you to the docks and boats which will take you deeper into the park to explore the primordial nature.

Sailing on boats conveniently named "The Swan" and "The Otter" or boats sailed by park rangers, through marshes, bayous between the shoals and islets, is so relaxing that one wishes it would never stop.

Here you can see breathtaking scenery created by water in this flood area by depositing silt in one place, while deepening the terrain in another, giving thus the whole area a wavy appearance.

Such activity of water led to the formation of ponds, that is, depressions and beams, elevated areas, which give Kopački rit the shape of a delta. And this is perhaps the biggest phenomenon of Kopački rit. The big and powerful brother Danube, with the help of his sister the Drava river, creates the so-called inner delta, which gives this area a worldwide significance.

This is especially distinctive during flood season, when this habitat is filled with waters of the two rivers that surround it, which makes sailing across Veliki Sakadaš Lake and the largest Kopačko Jezero pure pleasure, with white-tailed eagles, which became a trademark of this natural phenomenon, flying above you and cormorants in a blasting flight fishing in rich waters, and a few minutes later "attack" the willow trees and peck their bark.

Deer Roar

Constant changes in water levels make this complex ecosystem interesting in any season, however, most visitors come in spring and autumn. In autumn bird migrations begin, so visitors can see more birds feeding more intensively in the shallow waters of the Park, preparing for the long journey to the south and gathering in flocks.

At the end of August, the deer mating season begins and lasts throughout September. Males roar guarding their territory and warning rivals not to approach. In the "Deer roar" program, visitors have the opportunity to follow the sound of their roar and enjoy watching these beautiful animals from a decent distance and take a photo as a unique souvenir from the park. This unique world of flora and fauna will equally delight you whether you explore it from boats or by cycling or walking. About 260 different species of birds nest

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here, for many of which this a temporary habitat on their migration from cold to warmer regions. Along with the already mentioned white-tailed eagle, there are also black and white storks, herons, ducks, coots, turtles, frogs and, of course, mosquitoes- There are more than 40 species of fish in waters of Kopački rit, while the forests hide the true treasure of game such as deer with golden antlers, roe deer and fawns, boars, beavers, otters, martens- Often you will also encounter some wild animals there.

The Tikveš Castle Complex

Local vegetation is also a special story. Ultimately, Kopacki Rit itself is a great and special story to be experienced, smelled, felt with your fingers and felt under your feet- Surely the Tikveš castle complex should not be forgotten. The complex consists of residential buildings surrounded by forests and gardens - castles, chapels and accompanying objects which for centuries were a residential hunting ground for local, European and world princes, kings and statesmen who came here as guests of the Habsburgs, the Karađordjevićs and Tito.