Croatia is a fascinating, diverse world of wonders that not only impresses with its numerous cultural treasures but also with its natural beauty. If you reduce the country to just the particularly well-known and popular coastal and island region with its beautiful bays and beaches, crystal-clear water and charming fishing villages, you are missing out on some of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire Mediterranean.
3 regions of Croatia
Croatia is one thing above all: extremely diverse. The northeast in particular, with the Pannonian Plain, is predominantly characterized by flat land and small mountains. This is where Croatia’s breadbasket lies, crossed by numerous waterways, accentuated by small lakes – Croatia lies in the Blue Heart of Europe, a region with an extremely high water content. The deciduous forests, which are found mainly in the northern parts of the country, offer a nice change – and, especially in autumn, provide a wonderfully colorful backdrop for hikers and explorers off the beaten tourist track.
The Dinaric Mountains in the middle of the country are a rough, barren mountain zone characterized by coniferous forests and at the same time the watershed between the Danube and the coast. Here, in the partly isolated, deserted gorges, valleys and forests, you can find the numerous animals that have long since become extinct or are at least seriously threatened in large parts of Europe. If you roam through the spectacular landscapes characterized by black pine and bizarre rock formations, you may, with a little luck, come across brown bears and wolves, and, especially in the remote karst areas, golden jackals and lynx. The nimble chamois that populate the higher mountain regions and easily conquer even the steepest slopes are also always popular photo subjects. Numerous reptiles, insects and creeping creatures also populate the forests and mountain regions between Medimurje and Dalmatia, Istria and Vukovar-Srijem, including lizards and geckos, snakes such as the rare horned viper and numerous species of butterflies.
The flora and fauna in Croatia’s coastal area offer a different picture. Along the Adriatic, the country is Mediterranean in character: sparse pine forests and Mediterranean hardwoods decorate the partly karst mountains and bays, pine trees spread their inimitable scent and provide welcome shade. While particularly dry regions, such as some islands in the Kvarner Bay, are predominantly covered with maquis, which is a perfect habitat for insects and reptiles, other regions, such as along the coast of Istria, around Krk, Rab, Pag and Losinj, and throughout Dalmatia, offer perfect conditions for growing fruit and wine. Despite the large number of agricultural areas, there are also many national and nature parks here, such as the Mljet National Park, where mongooses can also be found, the Kornati Islands, which are characterized by karst land, or the Northern Velebit National Park, which are intended to protect the fragile balance between the Mediterranean-maritime climate, mountains, forests, waterways, lakes and numerous animals and plants.
Croatia’s birdlife
Did you know that Croatia is a paradise for ornithologists? More than 350 species of birds inhabit all regions and attract bird lovers from all over the world to observe them. The rarest and most impressive birds in the country include griffon vultures, golden eagles and short-toed snake eagles, which are mainly found in remote, strictly protected mountain regions in the middle of the country. Birds of prey can also be found in more inaccessible, sparsely populated coastal regions, such as in Dalmatia, Istria or in the Velebit National Park. The area between the Drava and Danube in the north of the country is also known among birdwatchers for its wealth of water birds and marsh dwellers such as glossy ibises and herons, cormorants and coots. The river mouths along the Adriatic are also home to numerous water and migratory birds, which like to rest here on their annual migration to Africa.
Adventurous Encounters Underwater
The fact that the entire Croatian sea area has been designated an ecological protection area since 2004 may annoy many fishermen – but divers, snorkelers and nature lovers have every reason to be happy. The protected area is home to a more diverse underwater flora and fauna than almost any other Mediterranean region. Sponges and corals thrive in the warm, clear water, as do bream and gorgonians, damselfish and groupers.
Sea cucumbers and sea urchins also feel at home in rocky bays and on stony beaches – much to the chagrin of some water lovers who have not thought of bathing shoes. The numerous islands in particular, such as in the Kvarner or Dalmatia regions, offer excellent conditions for diving. And with a bit of luck, you may be able to observe the rare Mediterranean monk seal or swamp seal and sea turtles in the wild. Dolphins are also native to this part of the Adriatic. The friendly marine mammals like to play with divers and snorkelers, accompany boats and occasionally perform one of their spectacular jumps. Incidentally, encounters with interesting creatures are also possible directly by the water and in very humid regions. The olm, for example, populates many of the caves and grottos that have eaten their way into the karstified rock over thousands of years, not only in the coastal area.
Endemic plants and animals
Croatia’s unique location in the Balkans between Europe, Asia and Africa is the reason why the country has such a rich biodiversity – its remote regions, including the Velebit, the highly fragmented coast and islands and the Dinaric Mountains, give it a wide variety of endemic animal and plant species. One of the greatest natural treasures is hidden in the Plitvice Lakes National Park. 75 of the more than 1,200 plant species found here are considered endemic, including the amethyst squill and the buttercup Ranunculus scutatus. Extremely rare animals such as the olm are at home here, as are the dipper and European pond turtle, golden eagle, wolf and lynx.
The Velebit, with its numerous isolated valleys and gorges, is also considered a centre of endemism in Croatia. In the Northern Velebit National Park, around 4.4 percent of the plants are classified as endemic, including the Haynald’s eyewort, the yellow gentian, the Velebit quill and the Croatian Alpine milkwort. Numerous endemic plants can be found primarily in the isolated mountain pine forests.
Endemic plants and animals also attract nature lovers to Krka National Park. 10 of the 20 fish species found here are considered endemic, as are two species of lizards and numerous insects and bird species. The special features of this region include more than 200 species of birds and 18 species of bats, which are not endemic but are extremely rare.