Slītere National Park

Coordinates: 57°37′27″N 22°17′40″E / 57.62417°N 22.29444°E / 57.62417; 22.29444
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Slītere National Park
An October 2022 satellite image
Map showing the location of Slītere National Park
Map showing the location of Slītere National Park
Map of Latvia
LocationTalsi Municipality, Courland, Latvia
Coordinates57°37′27″N 22°17′40″E / 57.62417°N 22.29444°E / 57.62417; 22.29444
Area265 km2 (102 sq mi)
Established2000

Slītere National Park (Latvian: Slīteres nacionālais parks) is a national park in Talsi Municipality, Courland, on the west coast of Latvia. Although formally established in 2000, it is based on the former Slītere Nature Reserve, one of the oldest nature reserves in Baltic States. It is the smallest national park in Latvia.

Geography

The park is set in the

bay of Riga.[1]

It covers an area of 265 km2 (102 sq mi) (including 101 km2 (39 sq mi) in the Baltic Sea), making it the smallest national park in Latvia.

The "Zilie Kalni" or "Blue Hills" are one of the most recognizable geological features of the park. Thousands of years ago, the Zilie Kalni formed the ancient shore of the

Baltic ice lake. Further back in time, 40 M years ago, the climate was sub-tropical; fossilized amber from that period is still found by the sea-shore after heavy storms have stirred the sediments on the sea bed.[2]

The small Irbe river runs south-west/north-east, following the coastal line of the

sandbanks in its estuary. In late Autumn, brown trouts swim upriver to reach their spawning grounds.[2]

Flora

Slītere National Park is famous for the

bogs
. Most of the broadleaf forest is located on the "Zilie Kalni" or "Blue Hills".
Another 30% of the park is covered by coniferous forest.

The park hosts hundreds of species of plants and

bryophytes
, 29 species of which are found nowhere else in Latvia.

Fauna

Slītere National Park lies along the Baltic migratory flyways, making Slītere one of the best places in Latvia for birdwatching.[4] For example, its sea shore is a stopover in late Autumn for the bar-tailed godwit on its way south from the northern tundra; the great grey owl migrates here from Russia in winter.[2] Virtually all species of bird found in Latvia have been observed in Slītere, with many as 60,000 birds per hour having been observed flying over during the spring and fall migrations.[4]

The

grey wolf, Eurasian lynx, and elk can all be found within Slītere. The national park has many rare species of insect and snail due to its high plant and biome diversity. Along the coast, Baltic grey seals establish their nurseries under the iced-over sea in winter; this is their most southerly location in the world.[2] The rarer ringed seal
is occasionally seen.

Human settlements

Slītere protects a large portion of the Līvõd Rãnda - the

Livonian villages. See Cape Kolka and villages Vaide, Saunags, Pitrags
.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ Slītere National Park, location map on google.com/maps.
  2. ^
    bay of Riga
    : 44'05 - 44'22. Grey seals: 44'22 - 44'51.
  3. ^ Irbe river, location map on google.com/maps.
  4. ^ a b Slītere National Park : fauna

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Slītere National Park.
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