Vrana Lake and Jasen (3606)
Croatia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Vransko jezero i Jasen
Central coordinates: Latitude: 43.8970, Longitude: 15.5790
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 298
Area of KBA (km2): 59.13238
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Vransko Lake is the largest lake in Croatia. The water is shallow. A large and well developed reed bed in the NW part of the lake supports the richest wetland ornithofauna on the Croatian coast. Revitalisation of wetland habitats and flooded meadows in the area north of the Nature Park (former Vransko blato) is proposed. Hills on the eastern side are covered by maquis. In winter Vransko Lake regularly supports more than 20.000 waterbirds (mostly Coots). It is the only breeding area for Purple Heron in Mediterranean Croatia and the only regular breeding site of Pygmy Cormorant in Croatia. Birds are threatened mainly by illegal construction, agricultural intensification, drainage, excessive or illegal hunting in surrounding area and excessive water extraction from lake tributaries.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Delineation rationale: Area changed from 3000 ha to 10171 ha (Radovic, Kralj, Tutis, Radovic & Topic, 2005). Area changed from 10171 ha to 5912 ha, as part of 2010 revision of IBAs/proposed SPAs.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 50 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 50 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of surface water (commercial use) | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |