Danube Delta - Natural reserves

By thee decision No. 953 of 27 August 1990 Romania's Government declared the whole Danube Delta a BIOSPHERE RESERVE. Against the background of thee existant main and secondary reserves - prompted by the need of preserving the natural process of evolution, for protecting the specific fauna nad flora - strictly protected areas were established, with an area of some 50,000 hectares. By and large, there are three distinct units:

I. Rosca - Buhaiova - Letea, landmarks of the area od 12,000 hectares in the Matita depression, in the northern part of the Big M (Sulina arm). The lakes Rosca, Merhei and a combination of ponds, reed marshes, floating islets play host to big colonies of pelicans, egrets, herons, glossy ibises, spoon bills.

II. Sacalin - Zatoane streches south of the Sfantu Gheorghe commune, over some 21,000 hectares lining the litoral. It is a succesion of banks with isolated lakes, marshy areas, river and low salinity waters, sand-clogged ponds, reeds, traversed by parallel dunes. The Zatoane lakes in particularr are places of transit, stopover and hatching for mute swans, whitte, red and yellow herons, cormorants, composite colonies including pelicans.

III. Periteasca - Bisericuta - Gura Portitei extends to the south the above-mentioned reserve by over 4,000 hectares. It distinguishes itself by dry banks washed by the sea or by the Razim lake, fit especially for the existence of shore birds used to salt and for transiting ones.

All in all there are 18 strictly protected areas. Besides trhe above-mentioned ones, there are also Raducu (2.500 ha), Nebunu (115 ha), Rodundu (228 ha), Potcoava (652 ha), Vatafu-Lunguletu (1.625 ha), Caraorman (2.250 ha), Saraturi-Murighiol (87 ha), Erenciuc (50 ha), Belciug (110 ha), Popina (98 ha), Capul Dolosman (125 ha), the banks of Lupilor (2.075 ha) and Chituc (2.300 ha), Istria-Sinoie (400 ha).

According to the above-mentioned protection law, any trip to the zone requires approval by the Administration of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (RBDD).

Last update: 1999, September 15
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