News archive 2009. & 2010.

Kopački rit Nature Park and Kormoran restaurant would like to invite you to an extraordinary magic event, as part of "Magic Summer in Baranya". This event will take place on Friday July 23, in Kopački rit Nature Park.
The program will start at 07.00 pm in Tikveš Castle Complex, where visitors will be able to enjoy the sounds of music, horse-carriage rides and other surprises, accompanied by forest fairies.
An unforgettable gastronomic adventure follows in Kormoran restaurant. Carefully selected wine at a special price and live music in the company of fairies will last deep into the night.
Tickets for this magic and unique event can be bought in the Tourist Association of Osijek, Tourist Association of Baranya, Atlas Travel Agency in Osijek and Kormoran restaurant, from Tuesday July 20 to Friday July 23. The program in Tikveš forest is included in the ticket price - 120 kn (fairy concert, food and beverages from the nature, horse carriage ride) and fairy dinner at Kormoran restaurant with greeting aperitive and live music included.
Relax and devote yourself to the nature, music, excellent wine, gastronomic dainties of Kormoran restaurant and elope, at least for a moment, into this enchanted story deep into the night.
Contact:

Belje d.d.
Ljiljana Vajda Mlinaček, tel: 031/790-235

JUPP Kopački rit
Besim Mehić, tel: 031/752-320

The best way to experience the pleasure and nature of Kopački rit is with small boat tours that take you through the Special Zoological Reserve.
The small boats are available every day from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 9.00 am 7.30 pm.

During July and August, the Visitor's Centre of Kopački rit is open from 9.00 am to 7.30 sati pm every Friday and Saturday. Visitors can enjoy tours with smaller or larger boats or they can use our marked nature trails all day long. The last boat departs at 6.30 pm.
Booking and other information - +385 31 752 -320 or e-mail: prijemni.centar@kopacki-rit.hr

The City Association for Sporting Recreation called "Sport for all", Osijek City, Hervis Osijek and Kopački rit Nature Park Management Office organized the sixth traditional bike tour from Osijek to Kopački rit and then back to Osijek on May 30, 2010.
The bike tour gathered about 150 participants. After arriving to "Mali Sakadaš" Visitors' Centre, the luckiest participants received a few interesting and valuable prizes (a bike, a biker's outfit, a boat tour etc.). The goal of this event was to encourage the citizens of Osijek to use their bikes as an ideal vehicle for recreation, nature preservation and protection.

A manifestation named "Razbistrite se na Bistri" meaning "Clear yourself in Bistra " was held in Medvednica Nature Park as part of celebrating the International Biodiversity Day, Nature Protection Day and European Parks Day. The representatives from Kopački rit Nature Park presented the touristic offer and the beauties of Kopački rit on this occasion. Many visitors were satisfied with Kopački rit's presentation and said they hope to visit the Park soon.

Public institution "Kopački rit" Nature Park celebrates this important date for nature protection, in order to join the world in the efforts on preserving of biological diversity and promoting of nature protection. The year of 2010 is a chance to draw attention to a huge role of biological diversity in sustainable development and human existence in general, with special importance for the health of people and health of the entire planet Earth. Biological diversity is our only source for numerous assets, from food and medications all the way to construction materials. Our planet's ecosystems supply us with many irreplaceable services; air and clean water, regeneration of soil, pollination and climate regulation are only some of them.
Public institution uses this action to present all people with the wealth of wetland habitats, which are so rare nowadays.
In the period between May 21 and 23, 2010 educational presentations will be organized for you at our reception center "Mali Sakadaš", and you can also go for a walk along our educational trails "Mali Sakadaš", "Veliki Sakadaš" or you can experience an exceptional direct contact with nature through our boat or small boat ride within the Special Zoological Reserve. For the visitors with adventurous spirit, we offer the walk along the educational trail "Old Elm" which goes through a centennial forest, and leads to one of the last big elms in this area.

We invite you to join us in celebration of this day!

We are looking forward to welcoming you!

Folk costume Manufacturing and Rental Department from Zagreb, in cooperation with Kopački rit Nature Park and Tourist Association of Baranya, organized a workshop on Baranya traditional embroidery for 67 interested participants within Tikveš Castle, between May 14 and 16, 2010. The head of the workshop was Josip Forjan B. A., and textile skills were taught by presenters from Baranya – Eva Kostolić, Jela Lovrić and Pavo Franjin, together with Jasna Lukačević, Martina Pejnović and Vinka Mareković from Zagreb. In theory part, the participants were given an overview of traditional culture of Baranya, folk costumes and traditional handicrafts. The practical part of the workshop presented the techniques of making of traditional Baranya embroidery (interlinked, striped, crosses, pierced and flat stitches, diagonal and grained points), and traditional jewelry of threaded beads and braided bracelets and gloves decorated with beads. Realization of this project was financially supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb – Department for Culture, Education and Sports. Workshop was attended by participants from all over Croatia (Omiš, Karlovac, Kutina, Vinkovci, Perušić, Sombor, and Subotica).

Kopački rit Nature Park celebrated this year's "World Wetlands Day" on February 2, 2010. Pertinent lectures were held by students of Osijek Grammar School, students of Secondary Technical and Natural Sciences School of Osijek, students of Technical and Agricultural School of Vinkovci and Ivana Buzuk, head of the public institution "Agency for management of protected natural values in the area of Osijek-Baranja County". Celebration was also attended by Nikola Križanac, head of the public institution for management of protected natural values of Vukovar-Srijem County, and children from Slakovci Elementary School. The employees of Public Institution "Kopački rit" Nature Park presented the results of winter counting of waterfowl. After the presentation, there was a press conference held on importance of preserving of Kopački rit as one of the most significant wetland habitats in this part of Europe.

Within the Danube Parks project, together with partners from the Republic of Hungary (Duna – Drava Nemzeti Park) there was a workshop held with the topics of Tourism and Protection of White-tailed Eagle. The workshop lasted for two days and it presented touristic potentials and the issue of protection of White-tailed eagle in these protected areas, to the participants. The workshop was attended by the representatives of protected areas from Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.

A project called "Restoration of habitats and tourism development in Kopački rit – free grazing as an ecological and socio-economical impulse for Podunavlje" was presented to the public during the visit of ARK Nature representatives. Professor Larisa Benčina – leader of the department for expert activities, briefly presented the project that is being carried out in "Kopački rit" Nature Park. Frank Zanderink, the ARK Nature representative, held a short presentation about the organization and their projects conducted throughout Europe. He also pointed out the project goals in Kopački rit and it's socio-economic significance.

Representatives of GTZ – from Germany (Association for technical co-operation and project implementation in the development of economy and tourism) visited Kopački rit. This association has been carrying out projects concerning encouragement of tourism development for several years in Croatia, according to the decree of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ). Part of the project component is a cyclo-tourist route Danube-Sava-Drava as a new tourist product. The GTZ representatives where accompanied by members of the "Bike" association from Zagreb and media representatives: Večernji list, Jutarnji list and Magazin Meridijan.

Kopački rit Nature Park Management Office participated in the 16th "INTERSTAS" International Tourism Fair and Tour film Festival" that took place in Split from October 14th to October the 16th 2009. The manifestation's Board of Directors in cooperation with the Central Committee FEST (European Federation of Tourist Journalists) from Rome awarded the "Golden INTERSTAS 2009" reward for the best "Graphic design and contribution to tourism development". The reward was handed over to Biserka Vištica, the director of Nature Park Kopački rit by Zoran Šikić, the state secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Vojko Pleština, Chairman of the Board of Fis-calis.

A species called Slavonian and Srijem bovine has been reintroduced in the area of Kopački rit within the project "Restoration of habitats and tourism development in Kopački rit – free grazing as an ecological and socioeconomical impulse for Podunavlje". This project is conducted together with the Dutch organization "ARK Nature", and financed by the European Community BBI-Matra fund.
The Slavonian and Srijem bovine used to be the most common bovine in Slavonia, Baranya, and Srijem at the beginning of the 20th century. This type of bovine was prior a draft animal. It belongs to the longhorned cattle family – Bos taurus, and represents the immediate offspring or domesticated form of the original Bos primigeniusa. This is an original (indigenous) Croatian breed that distinguishes in long-life, modesty in diet, has good working skills, is extremely adjustable to climate and field and has a good immune system. This bovine easily finds its way through marshlands, forests, shrubbery and scarce pastures.
(source: DZZP)

Kopački rit Nature Park Management Office burnt all withdrawn items collected during the previous period, based on verdicts of legal validity of the Magistrates Court in Beli Manastir. A couple thousand metres of nets were destroyed as well as a certain number of coops and other fishing tools.

Another deer roaring season has come to an end. The supervision department and the department for expert activities worked very hard supervising the fields of Kopački rit and recording every deer that came in sight. Our well-known deer by the name of Šandor (our supervisors gave him that name, see photo) was once again very "worthy" and "worked" a lot, so we hope that there will be more deer like him in our area in the future.

The European Bat Night is celebrated throughout Europe every year on the last weekend of August. This year a presentation about bats and a bat-detector demonstration was held in Kopački rit Nature Park. Thirty-five bat species were recorded in Croatia of which twelve have been seen in the Nature Park. All species are highly protected. Bats hibernate in winter, so they often fly to faraway places in order to find winter nooks. We build small bat houses on treetops so to facilitate their hibernation.

" Kopački rit Nature Park" Management Office would like to inform the public that sport angling is forbidden at "Zlatna Greda" and "Tikveš" pump stations during the deer roaring and hunting period from September 1st to October 1st 2009.

The deer roaring can be heard throughout the area of Kopacki rit, as usual at this time of the year, as a farewell sign to the summer. The mating season of these magnificent animals has started. The hinds select their mate while the stags fight for their affection. The stags mark their territory by roaring powerfully which also warns the other stags to keep away. Unequal fights are avoided by their roaring, but if two stags of almost the same strength and courage meet, fights with antlers measure the strength. Sometimes these fights can last for a longer period. The official deer-roaring season this year starts on September 1st, hence we kindly ask all our visitors to secure peace in the forests for these animals during September.

After a longer period of time, the Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) and the Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) as well-known kiths of the Park have been seen again on the Podunavlje fishponds among many different bird species. These two bird species used to be regular visitors and nesters of Kopački rit in the last couple of years of the 20th century but as fish farming reduced, the birds abandoned our area. They are slowly returning to Kopački rit as the fishponds are being filled again.

The arrivalof the summer water wave and the extremely high Danube and Drava water level enabled us to fill the“ Podunavlje“ fishponds additionally with fresh water. Fishpond filling is performed in a natural way by inflowing the water from the Special Zoological Reserve. A large number of various bird species is already dwelling on the fishponds (Great White Egrets, Small White Egrets, Squacco Herons, Spoonbills, Black Storks, Mute Swans, Ferruginous Ducks etc.). A large amount of fish is inflowing with the arriving fresh water, which will serve as a new source of food for all the birds in the shallow waters. Therefore, we can expect the arrival of an even larger amount of various bird species.

A ceremonial cheque takeover was held on Thursday, June25th, 2009, for the demining of Kopački rit. Josip Forjan, the director of The International Centre for Cultural Services – folk costume workshop and hiring, handed over a 50.000,00 HRK donor cheque to Miljenko Vahtarić, the assistant director of the Croatian Demining Centre, in the presence of Biserka Vištica, oic. Kopački rit Nature Park Management Office Director. The donated amount will be used to fund the demining project of Kopački rit according to the donor’s wishes.

This spring, the abundant floods gave Kopački rit energy for new life, once again, because we all know that water is the most important bond for life on Earth. Therefore, when the water arrives and floods Kopački rit, life can truly flourish here. Therewith, spawning conditions are provided for the fish of which Kopački rit is known worldwide. A pike (Esox lucius) fight that was skillfully taken by Hrvoje Domazetović lasted for an hour, which tells us who eats whom in a biological community, usually the primary consumer eats the secondary consumer i.e. the stronger one eats the weaker one. The fight for the survival of species doesn’t only lead to the extermination of natural enemies and to the voraciousness of large amounts of prey. In this case, cannibalism is an excellent method to fill the stomach and to reduce the number of hungry mouths that were not capable of feeding themselves in order to be larger and stronger.

In mid-April, the “Podunavlje” fishponds were filled with fresh water from the Special Zoological Reserve in cooperation with the Croatian Waters. The “Podunavlje” fishponds are the only haven for marsh birds because they are regularly filled with water and do not desiccate. Thus, they play a very important ecological role for water habitats and offer an alternative for natural water areas (lakes, ponds, channels).

World Water Day was celebrated on March 22nd 2009 with an occasional presentation and press conference about the importance of preserving Kopački rit's hydrological system, as Kopački rit is one of the most significant floodplains by the Danube River.

We are delighted to inform all our visitors that the official opening of the tourist season with the visitor’s boat starts on March 14th 2009.

Kopački rit Nature Park celebrated the “International day for the protection of wetlands” on February 2nd 2009 with an occasional presentation and press conference about the importance of preserving Kopački rit as one of the most significant wetlands in this part of Europe.