Neretva Delta (3609)
Croatia, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2010
National site name: Delta Neretve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 43.0230, Longitude: 17.5570
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 591
Area of KBA (km2): 238.14727
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Neretva Delta contains the largest complex of wetlands in Croatian littoral with well developed water-fringe vegetation (reedbeds, sedge communties, rush), floating and submergent vegetation around Neretva and its tributaries. The mouth of the river Neretva is characterised by wide lagoons, shallow sand bays, low coasts and saltmarshes. Reclaimed land is covered by agricultural landscape with many irrigation chanals. The area holds the most important breeding population of Bittern and Baillon’s Crake. Main threats are river canalization, drainage, agricultural intensification, changes in traditional farming, unregulated recreational activities and tourism, overfishing, excessive or illegal hunting and destruction of mud and sand flats.
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 11500 to 24915 ha (Radovic, Kralj, Tutis, Radovic & Topic, 2005). Area changed from 24915 ha to 24871 ha, as part of 2010 revision of IBAs/proposed SPAs.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 5 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 48 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 48 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Unspecified species | Only in the future |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Dams (size unknown) | Only in the future |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |