Extra Protected Nature Monuments - Plitvice Caves

Plitvice Lakes National Park boasts with 114 speleological objects, and some of them are so valuable that they have been additionally protected as nature monuments. One unusually important group of bioindicators finds refuge in these objects - bats. These night fliers play crucial roles in forest regeneration process; they pollinate numerous plants and disperse seeds, as well as control insect populations as the primary predators of night-flying insects.

Take advantage of the peaceful part of the year and explore the impressive underworld in silence, without crowds and human noise. Bats are now fully active and feeding. Females will soon start to form maternity colonies and look for suitable nursery sites, like trees for example. Males, on the other hand, roost in small groups or on their own.

Bats spend most of the winter hibernating; in order to conserve energy, bats must slow or shut down all vital functions - their heart beats only 6 - 10 times per minute, body temperature drops to only a few degrees above 0 °C, and they lower their metabolic rate, and immune system. It is of the outmost importance that hibernating bats are not disturbed, as well as maternity colonies when bats give birth and rear their young.

If possible, hire a professional guide to get a better picture of the importance and the sensitivity of caves.

Explore nature monuments, caves:
Golubinjača
Šupljara
Crna pećina

Reservations and info:
tel:+385(0)53 751-014
tel:+385(0)53 751-015