Podunavlje and Lower Podravlje (24014)
Croatia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Podunavlje i donje Podravlje
Central coordinates: Latitude: 45.6740, Longitude: 18.7560
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 80 to 174
Area of KBA (km2): 662.97821
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The lowland area of Dunav and Drava rivers alluvium. The prevailing habitats are rivers, wetlands and riverine forests (mostly oak, willow and poplar). The largest wetlands are Kopacki rit and fishponds Podunavlje and Donji Miholjac, while rivers are surrounded with oxbows, ponds and smaller river flows. Important river habitats include sandbanks, sand-bars and islands and vertical, eroded, bare riverbanks. Steppe and wet pastures are scarce and revitalisation is proposed. The area is an important breeding site for herons and egrets, White-tailed Eagle and Ferruginous Duck, a wintering site for many waterbirds and stopover site for Spoonbills. This area regularly supports more than 20.000 waterbirds during migration and wintering period. Main threats are river canalization, drainage, possible loss of carp fishponds due to abandonment of fish production, water pollution, intensified forest management, agricultural intensification, excessive or illegal hunting and unregulated recreational activities and tourism.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Delineation rationale: 2016-06-20 (BL Secretariat): The four year-2000 IBAs Poplavno podrucje rijeke Dunav / Alluvial wetlands of the River Danube (SitRecID 3611), Posebni zooloski rezervat Kopacki rit / Kopacki Rit Special Zoological Reserve (SitRecID 3599), Drava od Donjie Miholjca do Osijeka (ukljucujuci Dravske sume) / River Drava (SitRecID 3598) and Ribnjaci kod Donjeg Miholjca / Donji Miholjac fish-ponds (SitRecID 3614) have been merged in 2005 to form the IBA (proposed SPA) Podunavlje i donje Podravlje / Danube and Drava rivers' lowland areas (SitRecID 24014). Area changed from 66609 ha to 66402 ha, as part of 2010 revision of IBAs/proposed SPAs.
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Dams (size unknown) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |