January 31, 2010

On Sunday, the first weekend of February, the traditional hunting-tourist event entitled “Eye to eye with wolf” is organized for the 9th time in the hunting ground of the Djerdap national park. Jelena Gligoric has more on this event.

Some 250 hunters and nature lovers will gather on February 7, in the early morning, and the hunt will go on until the noon. At the same time, the contest in making so-called hunter’s stew will be organized in the village of Dobra, and the hunters will join for lunch. Along with accompanying program, the association is characteristic for hunting stories, which always attract numerous spectators to these events.

Last year 12 predators were shot in the hunting ground of Djerdap – four wolves and eight foxes. According to Jelena Bujdic Kreckovic from the national park management, this hunting ground has been long known for the diversity of its fauna that has remained preserved to this day. Djerdap is the habitat for deer, wild hogs, wolves, jackals, foxes, bobcats, rabbits, eagles, owls, pheasants, partridges, pigeons etc. The animals roam freely around the hunting reservation, so that is one of the main reasons for hunters being glad to come.

Derdap is the biggest of five national parks in Serbia. It spans across 63 thousand hectares in the territories of three municipalities, and it also includes around 100km of Danube banks. Many say that it is one of the most beautiful geographical areas in Europe, showcasing the oldest geological history of the continent. In the territory of the national park there are three gorges, two canyons and three valleys, and it is also know as the biggest outdoors natural museum in Europe. On the inaccessible cliff over the Danube, there is the Golubac fortress, built in the 14th century to control the sailing on the river. It is a protected cultural monument of exquisite importance. Also nearby is the archaeological site from the Neolithic era – Lepenski Vir, as well as Trajan’s tablet from the Roman period, 100 BC, witness to the bridge that was built there after the order of Roman emperor Trajan. In the vicinity of the Djerdap national park, there are also archaeological sites Viminacium and Gamzigrad, part of a big tour of Serbia entitled “Route of Roman emperors”, because 17 rulers of the Roman empire were born in the territory of our country.

Jelena Bujdic Kreckovic says that tourists come during the entire year and from all over the world. From the former Yugoslav republics mostly coming are Slovenians, and from other countries there are many Germans, French, Dutch, Americans and Canadians. Dropping by for couple of hours are the tourists who travel down the Danube by ship, but also the increasing number of bicycle riders, since there is a well-known bike track along the river bank. Also frequent are the kayakers, participants of the traditional regatta.