Reserve ,,Srebarna”

presented by Teodor Grozdev and Dimitar Borinarski

• 1."Srebarna" is a biosphere reserve in Bulgaria, included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. The area was declared a reserve in 1948.

2.Location

• It is located near the village of Srebarna, 16 km west of Silistra and 2 km south of the Danube. Covers Lake Srebarna and its surroundings. It is located on the main migration route of migratory birds between Europe

3.History

• The first Bulgarian to show interest in this place was Alexi Petrov, who visited the reserve in 1911. He was captivated by the beauty of the bird world and planned a series of expeditions. Alexi Petrov visited the reserve again in 1940 to study the bird colonies nesting there.

• In 1913, after the signing of the Bucharest Peace Treaty, the territory of the reserve, together with the whole of Southern Dobrudja, fell within the borders of Romania. In 1940 with the signing of the Kraiov Agreement (1940), Dobrudja again passed into the territory of the Bulgarian state.

4.Lake Srebarna

Srebarna is a freshwater lake that is located by the Danube River. Its depth varies from 1 to 3 m, and its area is 2 - 2.5 km2. It often gets bogged down.

Its depth varies from 0.7 to 2 m, and its area is 2 - 2.5 km. The catchment area of ​​the lake is 402 km2. It is fed by karst waters.

• There are hydrophyte species such as reed in and around the lake. The reserve is home to 139 plant species, 11 of them are in danger of extinction outside the territory of Srebarna.

5.Flora

6.Fauna

A wide variety of fauna exists in the area. 39 mammal, 21 reptile and amphibian and 10 fish species inhabit the reserve, but it is most famous for the 179 bird species that nest on its territory.

• These species include multiple species of herons and cormorants, the glossy ibis, the Dalmatian pelican, the mute swan, the greylag goose, the marsh harrier and the bluethroat. Small mammals in the reserve include several shrew and mice species.

7.Legends

There are several legends about the origin of the lake's name. The one is about a khan named Srebrist, who died in the neighbourhood whilst engaging in an unequal battle with the Pechenegs.

A second one tells about a boat full of silver (srebro in Bulgarian) along the shores of the lake. According to a third one, which is regarded as most plausible, the name comes from the silvery reflections on the lake's surface during full moon.

The Museum

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