Discover Serbia: The nature reserve Obedska bara

Enjoy The Miracle in Winter Slideshow: Tatjana’s trip to Serbia and Montenegro (near Σερβία, Σερβία) was created with TripAdvisor TripWow!

The nature reserve Obedska bara 
[photos Obedska Bara are on slide show are with more snow and made by day]

Obedska pond

The area of Obedska Bara is located in the southeastern area of Srem district in Vojvodina-Serbia, between the settlements of Kupinovo, Obrež, Grabovci and the Sava river, only 40 km west of Belgrade.

The nature reserve Obedska bara . Photo: Tatjana Dimitrijevic

The narrow area of Obedska Bara riverbed is called “Potkovica” (Horse shoe) and the higher part of the terrain of Kupinovo’s beam is so-called "The Hoof". Obedska Bara is one of the oldest protected areas in the world (since 1874) and one of the most famous nature reserves in Serbia.

It is a seasonally inundated area of 20.000 ha of the Sava River floodplain, with marshes, ponds, wet meadows, and an oxbow surrounded by oak, willow and poplar forests. The biggest pond is an authentic complex of stagnant tributaries, marshes, pits, marsh vegetation, damp meadows and forests.

The bed of “Obedska Bara” is the remnant of the abandoned bed of the Sava River, whose main stream now flows more southwards. 6,000 years in the past, the forerunner of the Sava River used to flow here, 4500 years ago it was only a side-stream that formed still waters 2000 years ago which became the wetlands (swamp) we know of today.

The Obedska pond is connected to the Sava River only during high water level in Revenica channel. During the low water level of the Sava River, water flows away along Vok channel. The pond is replenished with water both from ground waters and surface waters from the loess plateau. Most of ponds dry up in dry years and at the end of summer. Pond Obedska bara is under management of JPVŠ Forrest management Sremska Mitrovica, Forrest office of Kupinovo.

Obedska's stork by Katarina 2353  More amazing photos on FLICKRIVER  

Flora and fauna

DToday there are dozens of water, wetlands, swamp, forest and meadow communities with the most interesting community of birds, 91 type of nest birds and 128 species of passing birds, winter birds and stray birds.

Total number of calculated birds is about 58,000 pairs of birds.

There are the following types of birds: Spoonbill, Little egret, Black stork, White stork, Black scoter, Lesser spotted eagle, White-tailed eagle, Black kite, Hobby Falcon, Collared Flycatcher, Reddtart and Cirl Bunting. Regarding other animal species interesting is fish Weather loach (autochthonous species), Snake hinge (the only poisonous fish in these parts), and Wild cat, Pine marten, Otter and several species of Bats.

Rare plant species are: Water soldier, White water-lily, Yellow water-lily, Aldrovanda Maiden hair, Cinquefoil, Cuckoo flower, Sweet flag, Water chestnut, Swamp nettle and Bladder-wort. As a natural monument one black poplar tree is protected.

The nature reserve Obedska bara. Photo: Tatjana Dimitrijevic

History of Reserve

In 1874, the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy proclaimed this area the imperial hunting ground and protected it. In 1919, it became a protected royal hunting ground of the Karadjordjevic Dynasty, so that in 1951, by the decision of the Institute for the Study of natural values of the People’s Republic of Serbia was declared a protected reserve.

The current status of the Special Nature Reserve was acquired in 1993. by the act of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. Then it was divided into three parts with different classes of protection.

The Special Natural Reserve "Obedska Bara" is under a special protection regime and its status has been verified by 1977 Ramsar Convention on Swamps of International Importance. In addition, in 1989., based on the IBA project, it has been included in the list of areas of primary importance for birds of Europe.

For more Information visiti site Obedska Bara
Wild Serbia Obedska Bara
FlickRiver  Katarina 2353