Škocjanski zatok nature reserve

Area description
Škocjanski zatok is of exceptional environmental importance due to its extremely rich flora and fauna. The emergence of today’s Škocjanski zatok has a long history. In the 13th century they began to fill up the sea for salt panning purposes – thus the island of Koper gradually became united with mainland. Further filling up of the sea and the development of the city and port of Koper left only a small water body (Škocjanski zatok) in the gulf. A large number of interesting and rare bird and halophilous plant species found their home in the brackish lagoon and the wet meadows of Bertoška bonifika. The area was declared a nature reserve in 1998 and also has the status of a special protection area for birds (Natura 2000) and ecologically important area. The reserve is managed by DOPPS – BirdLife Slovenia.

Access
We arrive to Koper with a train or intercity bus. From Koper train/bus station we continue either on foot or with a bicycle on a cycleway behind the go-kart polygon, which was built on the former Parenzana railway track. The cycleway is situated between the railway line and highway and goes along the brackish lagoons and lake. After approximately half an hour we reach a crossroad, where we turn left and immediately notice Bertoška bonifika. The entrance to the reserve is on the parking lot, just a few hundred metres away from the crossroad.

Trail description
A nature trail (equipped with information signs and observatories) leads along embankments and around the freshwater part of the reserve with wet and marshy meadows. The brackish lagoon can be observed from one observatory as well. The walk from the train station and along the nature trail takes about six hours.

Birds
The area is interesting for birdwatching throughout the whole year. Heron, water rail and common moorhen regularly nest in the reeds. The area is also an important nesting ground for black-winged stilt, Kentish and little ringed plover, European turtle dove, streaked faintail, cetti’s and great reed warbler, nightingale and other bird species. Pigmy cormorants, great white-fronted geese, red-crested pochards, garganeys, northern lapwings, ruffs, sandpipers, common snipes and many other interesting bird species can repeatedly be observed here in winter.

Other plants and animals
Old Istrian cattle and Camargue horses were brought to the meadows after renaturation. Other animals present in the area are nutria, European hare and various amphibians, lizards, fish and other rodents. Edges of brackish lagoons are important sites for halophilous plants (common glasswort, sea lavender, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum). Škocjanski zatok is also the only habitat of seaside arrowgrass in Slovenia.

Interesting links
Škocjanski zatok nature reserve