May 21, 2021 - A special program was prepared by the Aquatika Freshwater Aquarium Karlovac every day this weekend, to celebrate different but special occasions.

Turistickeprice.hr reports that, to mark the Day of the Natura 2000 ecological network, which is celebrated today, the Croatia Nature Protection Day on Saturday, May 22, and the World Turtle Day, on Sunday, May 23, the Public Institution Aquatika Freshwater Aquarium Karlovac have prepared a special program.

Credit: Aquatika Freshwater Aquarium Karlovac Facebook Page

Natura 2000 is an ecological network made up of areas across the European Union inhabited by animal and plant species that are endangered, vulnerable, or on the verge of extinction for various reasons. The European Union has established the Natura 2000 ecological network, and all members of the European Union are obliged to protect such endangered habitats and animal species.

The goal of the ecological network is to preserve or restore favorable conditions for more than a thousand endangered and rare species and for about 230 natural and pre-natural habitat types. This ecological network includes about 20% of the territory of the European Union, or about 27,500 areas, which makes it the largest system of preserved areas in the world. The Natura 2000 site has its own special day, and it is May 21st. On this day, in 1992, the European Habitats Directive and the LIFE Program were approved. With the Birds Directive, they form the basis for the European Natura 2000 network.

To commemorate the day the United Nations adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992, May 22 is celebrated as International Day for Biological Diversity. All signatory countries to the Convention, including Croatia, have committed themselves to take the measures necessary for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. This day is also celebrated in Croatia as Nature Protection Day.

On the Aquatika Square and on the promenade created within the project "Encounter with the River", the Karlovac Freshwater Aquarium is organizing an event as part of the "Spring in Karlovac" event. Thus, on Saturday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., educational animation for children will be organized on Aquatika Square. The topic will be the biological diversity of our rivers and nature protection. On the promenade, three educators with two holograms and a stand with promotional materials will promote the ecological network Natura 2000 and educate visitors.

Credit: Aquatika Freshwater Aquarium Karlovac Facebook Page

Aquatika will mark another important day, World Turtle Day on Sunday. On that occasion, they will have turtle feeding with education about their life habits, as well as the artistic expression on the topic of turtles.

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The freshwater aquarium Aquatika museum from Karlovac has now joined the Global Network of Water Museums, thus becoming a part of the family of the world's most famous museums and interpretation centres of this kind, hrturizam.hr writes.

Aquatika has managed to fill an extremely important educational function, as well as succeed in holding remarkable importance for the preservation of the underwater world of Croatian rivers and lakes. Now that importance has been recognised by the leading actors on the global level, which plays the key role in educating the public and raising the awareness on the various questions regarding freshwater worldwide.

Director of the Aquatika museum, Margarita Karuškić Kulaš, said: "Museums, interpretation centres and similar institutions play a key role today in communicating the values of the heritage of water, the better understanding of the water crisis of today and possible solutions to it. We are extremely proud that Aquatika has become a part of this prestigious group, as well as the worldwide initiative on the sustainable use of waters and the protection of life in the water.

The Global Network of Water Museums was founded as an initiative to create synergies within UNESCO's international hydrological program. The network aims to improve the coordination of the communication and educational activities of the museums and similar institutions, focused on the topic of water. In addition to that, the association deals with the questions and challenges caused by climate change, such as the continually worsening pollution of the water, resource depletion, glaciers' melting, the increasing frequency of flooding, and the maintaining of natural habitats.

This membership is yet another acknowledgement of the excellent work being done in Karlovac's Aquatika, so you should consider making a detour and visiting this amazing museum, located by one of four rivers in Karlovac, the amazing Korana River. Read more about the museum here, or on their Facebook page.