ZAGREB, 25 July, 2021 - The Lonjsko Polje Nature Park has seen a three-digit rise in visitors' statistics so far this year compared to 2020, and the planned opening of a centre for the black stork (ciconia nigra) in September will make the park even more attractive for guests, the park's representatives have told Hina.

In the first half of 2021, the number of visitors in this nature park, 90 kilometres southeast of Zagreb, skyrocketed by 150% compared to H1 2020, however the figures are still below the pre-pandemic period.

Broken down by citizenship, apart from local guests from all parts of Croatia, there were also more and more French, German, Polish and British travellers visiting this part of Croatia.

Of the 250 bird species living in the park, 170 also nest there. The village of Čigoč is known as the stork village.

A new centre dedicated to the black stork in the village of Osekovo will be opened within the park in September, and this project, worth 20 million kuna, has been co-funded by the European Union in the amount of HRK 12.8 million.

Some of the attractions in the 511-square-kilometre-large park are the village of Krapje, bird-watching in the ornithological reserve Krapje Đol, and traditional cattle grazing in Repušnicko Polje field.

The park, which is the largest protected wetland in Croatia is in the basin of the Sava and Lonja rivers.

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April 29, 2021 - The public is invited to name the Lonjsko Polje Nature Park storks and can even watch them via live stream! Name proposals are being accepted until May 10.   

While Malena and Klepetan in Brodski Varoš, near Slavonski Brod, the most glamorous stork couple in Croatia still shine with that celebrity-like glow, new stork generations are always coming. Perhaps ''The New Wings on the Block'' who will one day conquer the scene, can be found in the ever famous and attractive Lonjsko Polje Nature Park.

Čigoč village is already known as the first stork village in Europe for the various nests on the wooden roofs of its houses. As Turističke Priče reports, the Lonjsko Polje Nature Park authorities are inviting the public to name the storks in Čigoč village as they're still nameless. The storks' nests can be monitored on a livestream on the official Lonjsko Polje website, and the audience can send in their name suggestions in the comment sections until May 10. Lonjsko Polje's employees will decide which names best fit the individual storks.

Lonjsko Polje was declared a nature park back in 1990 and is located 75 kilometres from Zagreb. It's an easily accessible place to visit from Croatia's capital and other places in central Croatia. In addition to storks which are the most famous birds in the area, 350 different bird species have made Lonjsko Polje their home. Indigenous species of cows, Posavina horses, and Turopolje pigs are also found there. The wooden houses are created without using one single nail, making them a superior architectural site and not just great nesting places for birds.

The newly opened Osekovo Visitor Centre is specialised for its educational content focused the black stork, an endangered species in Croatia, and its mascot, Barica, makes it interesting and child-friendly. The entire park is a great place to go on a family trip.

''A ticket for a weekend program is 50 kuna per person, 5 kuna per child ages three to six, and 15 kuna for children 7-10 years old. The price includes walking around and sightseeing in Krapje village with its construction heritage, the Krapje Djol ornithological reserve and riding the solar-powered boat and tourist train. The Repusnica Visitor Centre offers walks by the Vrbacinec excursion site, while the Čigoč Visitor Centre will tell you a story about the white stork every Sunday at 13:00, and then you can sightsee Čigoč and Lonjsko Polje“, writes the Turističke Priče site.

Learn more about Lonjsko Polje on our TC page.

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