Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lake Skadar National Park
In 1983 Lake Skadar became the country's fourth national park and the first nonmountain-
ous one. Skadar is the largest lake in southern Europe, stretching between Montenegro and
Albania, where it's called Shkodër. It's mainly fed by the Morača River in the northwest
and drained into the Adriatic by the Bojana River at its opposite corner. The lake is what is
known as a cryptodepression, meaning that the deepest parts are below sea level. The
lake's marshy edges are carpeted with white and yellow water lilies, reeds, willows and
edible water chestnuts. Rare endemic species of orchids may also be found.
Lake Skadar National Park protects 40,000 hectares on the Montenegrin side of the
lake, but the whole lake is recognised by an international treaty, the Ramsar Convention,
as a 'wetland of international importance'. It is home to a quarter of the world's population
of pygmy cormorants and 262 other, mainly migratory, species including the great snipe
and the great bustard (mind how you read that). Other glamorous flappers include the Dal-
matian pelican, the largest of all pelicans, which is the spokesmodel of the park.
As well as birdwatching, activities include hiking, kayaking, swimming and boat trips
to various island monasteries and fortresses. The weather's usually best in August. Virpaz-
ar is the main gateway, but other settlements include Murići, Vranjina and Rijeka Crno-
jevića.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Much of the credit for Montenegro's 'wild beauty' lies with the terrain itself. Its rugged contours haven't just
hindered foreign invaders, they've limited population spread and the worst excesses of development. The
Montenegrin government has realised the value of this by declaring the country the world's first 'ecological state',
yet it remains to be seen what this means in a country where hunting is popular, recycling is virtually unknown
and people litter as a matter of course. Despite trumpeting the existence of bears, lynx and wolves, no one knows
what numbers remain. With numbers so low, hunting (illegal or otherwise) is of real concern.
On the coast, development continues unabated. With most of the Budva Riviera now given over to hulking re-
sort complexes attention has turn to the largely unspoiled Luštica Peninsula.
