The Balta Mică a Brăilei Natural Park () is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...

( natural park category V

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

) which is situated in

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

, in

Brăila County Brăila County () is a county (județ) of Romania, in Muntenia, with the capital city at Brăila. Demographics At the 2021 Romanian census, Brăila County had a population of 281,452 (172,533 people in urban areas and 108,919 people in rural ...

, on the administrative territory of communes Berteștii de Jos,

Chiscani Chiscani is a commune located in the northeastern part of Brăila County, Muntenia, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Chiscani, Lacu Sărat, and Vărsătura. The commune is located on the left bank of the Danube, just south of the count ...

, Gropeni, Mărașu and Stăncuța.

Location

The Natural Park is located in the inferior course of the

Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...

, between the Brăila Plain (

Wallachian Plain The Romanian Plain () is located in southern Romania and the easternmost tip of Serbia, where it is known as the Wallachian Plain (). It is part of the larger Eurasian Steppe. It is located in the historical region of Wallachia, and bordered by ...

) and

Great Brăila Island The Great Brăila Island () is an island on the Danube river in the Brăila County, Romania. It has on average length and width, with a total area of . The two river branches which separate it from the mainland are and . Adjacent to the west a ...

, based on the Small Brăila Island, in the south-eastern part of country.

Description

Balta Mică a Brăilei Natural Park an area of 17.529 ha was declared protected area by the ''Law Number 5 of March 6, 2000'' (published in ''Romanian Official Paper'' Number 152 of March 12, 2000) and is a wetland of international importance especially a waterfowl habitat (

aquatic ecosystem An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem found in and around a body of water, in contrast to land-based terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems contain communities of organisms—aquatic life—that are dependent on each other and on their environ ...

) and terrestrial species. Pelecanus crispus2

Fauna

Species of

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

: Black Sea shad ('' Alosa pontica''),

northern pike The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus ''Esox'' (pikes). They are commonly found in brackish water, moderately salty and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). T ...

(''Esox lucius''),

zander The zander (''Sander lucioperca''), sander or pikeperch, is a species of ray-finned fish from the Family (biology), family Percidae, which also includes perch, Gymnocephalus, ruffe and Darter (fish), darter. It is found in freshwater and brackis ...

(''Stizostedion lucioperca''), wels catfish (''Silurus glanis'') or

common carp The common carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), also known as European carp, Eurasian carp, or simply carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Ark ...

(''Cyprinus carpio''). Species of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

red-breasted goose The red-breasted goose (''Branta ruficollis'') is a brightly marked species of goose in the genus ''Branta'' from Eurasia. It is currently classified as vulnerable species, vulnerable by the IUCN. Taxonomy and etymology The red-breasted goose ...

(''Branta ruficollis''),

Dalmatian pelican The Dalmatian pelican (''Pelecanus crispus''), also known as the curly-headed pelican, is the largest member of the pelican family and among the heaviest flying birds in the world. With a wingspan typically ranging between 2.7 and 3.2 meters (8.9� ...

(''Pelecanus criptus''), purple heron (''Ardea purpurea''), pygmy cormorant (''Phalacrocorax pygmeus''), squacco heron (''Ardeola ralloides''), black stork (''Ciconia nigra''), ferruginous duck (''Aythya nyroca''),

whooper swan The whooper swan ( /ˈhuːpə(ɹ) swɒn/ "hooper swan"; ''Cygnus cygnus''), also known as the common swan, is a large northern hemisphere swan. It is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American trumpeter swan, and the type species for the genu ...

(''Cygnus cygnus'').visitdanubedelta.com – Species of birds
; retrieved on June 09, 2012

Access

* European route E60 București – Moviliţa –

Urziceni Urziceni () is a municipiu, city in Ialomița County, Muntenia, Romania, located around north-east of Bucharest. Geography The city is situated at the western edge of the Bărăgan Plain, on the banks of the Ialomița (river), Ialomița River ...

– National road DN2A

Slobozia Slobozia () is the capital city of Ialomița County, Muntenia, Romania, with a population of 41,550 in 2021. Etymology Its name is from the Romanian "slobozie", which meant a recently colonized village which was free of taxation. The word its ...

–

Țăndărei Țăndărei () is a town in Ialomița County, Muntenia, Romania, with a population of 12,761 as of 2021. The town is located on the Bărăgan Plain, on the left bank of the Ialomița River. It was declared a town in 1968. It is crossed by the na ...

–

Giurgeni Giurgeni is a commune located on the left bank of the Danube, in Ialomița County, Muntenia, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Giurgeni. Giurgeni is linked with Vadu Oii–Hârșova over the Danube via the Giurgeni–Vadu Oii Bridge ...

– bridge ''Giurgeni-Vadu Oii''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balta Mica a Brailei Natural Park Protected areas of Romania Tourist attractions in Brăila County Protected areas established in 2000 Geography of Brăila County Important Bird Areas of Romania Parks established in the 2000s 2000 establishments in Romania