Subotička Peščara ( sr-cyr, Суботичка пешчара) or Subotica Sands is an inland dune habitat located in northern

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

, along the Hungarian border. The area stretches across the far north of the

Bačka Bačka ( sr-Cyrl, Бачка, ) or Bácska (), is a geographical and historical area within the Pannonian Plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east. It is divided between Serbia and Hungary. ...

region, in the municipality of

Subotica Subotica (, ; , , ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Central Europe and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, contemporary Sub ...

. It is protected as a landscape of outstanding features "Subotičko-horgoška peščara", occupying an area of 53.70 km². Today's undulating

sand dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...

s are a result of the past aeolian activity; the area has been largely forested. The planned forestation of the Subotica Sands began in the late 18th century. Today the habitat constitutes a mix of forest,

steppe In physical geography, a steppe () is an ecoregion characterized by grassland plains without closed forests except near rivers and lakes. Steppe biomes may include: * the montane grasslands and shrublands biome * the tropical and subtropica ...

and wetland. The eastern part of the area is made up of banks of the border river Kereš.

Flora

Traces of primeval vegetation from the Subotica Sands provide valuable testimony to the plant life of the ancient

Pannonian Plain The Pannonian Basin, with the term Carpathian Basin being sometimes preferred in Hungarian literature, is a large sedimentary basin situated in southeastern Central Europe. After the Treaty of Trianon following World War I, the geomorphologic ...

. Among the preserved species is the Meadow Saffron which has its only growing spot in Serbia in the Subotica Sands.

Fauna

A number of

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

species have been recorded in the Subotica Sands, most notably the lesser mole rat. A total of around 170 different bird species have been observed here. This is the reason why the area is part of the international important bird areas conservation programme.

References

Protected areas of Serbia {{Serbia-geo-stub