The goal of this event is to raise public awareness about the importance of bats and ways to protect them, as well as to break the common prejudices surrounding these tiny and higly beneficial creatures.

This year, Plitvice Lakes National Park will mark this day on August 29th at Entrance 1 of the National Park.

Starting from 2:00 PM, Park staff will be present at the entrance to provide information and educate visitors and interested individulas about the biology, ecology and importance of bats.

At 7:00 PM – as dusk falls – we will start guided tours towards the lakes using a bat detectors, devices that make bat vocalizations audible to humans.

We look forward to see you!

Objava International Bat Night pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) and the house martin (Delichon urbicum) can be seen nesting in the Plitvice Lakes National Park area. Swallows stay closer to farms, in barns and haylofts, while house martins prefer residential and other buildings for their nests.

The Park’s Professional Service Department has been monitoring the condition of swallows and house martins in the Park area for many years. Every year, from late May to the end of June, it counts the nests of these species.

The population status of these species in the Park is stable, which means there is an abundance of food and suitable nesting sites.

Objava Swallow and Martin Monitoring in Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

The kingfisher, known for its metallic blue plumage, is a relatively rare sight in the Park and can be hard to spot. The dipper is somewhat more common and is often seen foraging along rapids. It typically nests behind waterfalls, in tufa barriers.

The BIOM Association conducted the “Research on Kingfishers and Dippers in Plitvice Lakes National Park” project in 2021 in cooperation with the Park’s Professional Service Department. The research aimed to assess the population status of these two species in the Park area, as well as identify potential threats they face. Both species are protected by law and are Natura 2000 target species for the Park.

Objava Research on Kingfishers and Dippers in Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

OIKON d.o.o. conducted the “Research on Loaches in Plitvice Lakes National Park” project between 2020 and 2022 in cooperation with the Park’s Professional Service Department.

The project aimed to assess the structure of the loach community and the traits of their populations.

Previous research has recorded both loach species only in Lake Kozjak and downstream. They have not been recorded in Lake Prošćansko and other lakes in the Upper Lakes system. In Lake Kozjak, their populations are in good condition, and their large presence alone suggests that they play an important role in the lake’s biocenosis.

Objava The Italian Spined Loach in Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

This semi-aquatic species is found across most of Europe. It is a carnivore and prefers fish, although it also eats crustaceans, birds, amphibians, and other smaller mammals it is able to catch. It inhabits all types of freshwater habitats, and is also found along the sea coast. Otters are very shy and elusive animals, making them hard to spot. It is easiest to spot them at dusk and dawn, when their activity peaks.

OIKON d.o.o. conducted the research on otters in the Park area between 2019 and 2022 in cooperation with the Park’s Professional Service Department. The research aimed to assess the size and condition of otter populations and individual otters, to determine which space they use and to record potential threats. Monitoring of otters is still ongoing.

The relatively large number of about 25 individuals (confirmed through DNA analysis of the collected samples) indicates that the Park area offers an ideal habitat for this species.

Objava The Otter in Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

The “Research on Amphibians and Reptiles in the Plitvice Lakes National Park Area between 2021 and 2023” project identified 12 amphibian species and 13 reptile species. The research was conducted by the Hyla Association in cooperation with the Park’s Professional Service Department.

Three of these species are target species for the Park area: the Horvath’s rock lizard (Iberolacerta horvathi), the black salamander (Salamandra atra), and the Italian crested newt (Triturus carnifex).

The research aimed to document the amphibian and reptile fauna in the Park, assess the population status of the recorded species and identify the threats they face.

Because of their biological traits, they are particularly vulnerable to road accidents—one of the leading threats to their survival—along with pollution, habitat degradation and loss, as well as disease.

Objava Research on Herpetofauna (Amphibians and Reptiles) in Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

This species’ living habitat makes monitoring a challenge. Every year, the Professional Service Department records data on this species in order to determine the size and condition of its population. It is believed that 1–2 pairs of this species nest within the Park area.

The European honey buzzard is a Natura species and target species for the Park.

Objava The European Honey Buzzard in Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

Research and monitoring of the condition of bats in the Park has been conducted for many years. The Croatian Biospeleological Society is conducting “Research and Monitoring of Bats in Speleological and Surface Structures of Plitvice Lakes National Park” in cooperation with the Park’s Professional Service Department. Bats are most easily tracked while they are resting, in caves and other man-made structures, during the day or during winter hibernation.

The aim of monitoring is to determine the population status of individual bat species in Plitvice Lakes National Park, the status of speleological and surface structures they use for winter hibernation, maternity colonies or simply for rest during the warmer part of the year/day.

Bats are excellent indicators of the condition of the ecosystem they inhabit, and monitoring them is a valuable tool for monitoring the state of nature and the impact of climate change and human activity.

Objava Bats of Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

The forests and grasslands of the Park provide an ideal habitat for this group of birds because of the abundance of prey and the presence of tree hollows, which they often use for nesting.

Research and monitoring of the condition of these species in the Park has been conducted for many years. The aim is to assess the condition and size of owl and scops owl populations in the Park area and to identify potential threats.

Owls and scops owls are monitored using passive and active (sound decoy) listening along pre-determined transects covering various areas of the Park.

The Biom Association and Certhia, a sole proprietorship for professional and scientific research, are monitoring the status of these species in the Park area in cooperation with the Park’s Professional Service Department.

As many as five species of owls are Natura 2000 target species for the Park: the boreal owl (Aegolius funereus), the short-eared owl (Asio flammeus), the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), the Eurasian pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum), and the Ural owl (Strix uralensis).

Objava Owls and Scops Owls of Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

The species is found in open habitats, and nests on high, inaccessible cliffs and trees.

It is a Natura 2000 target species for the area of Plitvice Lakes National Park.

The Professional Service Department has been monitoring the condition and size of this species in the Park area for many years. It is believed that only one pair lives within the Park area.

Objava The Peregrine Falcon in Plitvice Lakes National Park pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".