YATATA

Posted on May 16, 2014

BG0002046 – Protected Area under the Birds Directive 79/409/EEC and the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC

The protected area covers a wetland surrounded by grasslands, deciduous forests and rocky biotopes.

Yatata, (translated The Flocks) is a site with a great variety of birds all seasons. It supports over 220 species of birds, including six globally threatened species, such as the Red- breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis), the Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus), the Pygmy Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax pygmeus), the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicula) and others.

Yatata is important for the nesting Marsh Harrier, Black-winged Stilt and Gadwall. During migration and in winter the site is among the most significant places in Bulgaria for many rare and endangered species, such as the Pygmy Cormorant, Ferruginous Duck, White Stork, Glossy Ibis and Whooper Swan.

Yatata is the only wetland in Bulgaria that depends entirely on human activities. It is an artificial water basin with a mosaic of diverse habitats, created by the constant inflow of purified waters from the adjacent water treatment plant of the town of Beloslav. As such, its ecological equilibrium is fragile and any activities there need strict prescriptions.

The problems we address:

At present there is no Management Plan for the protected area to regulate the wetland’s use and protection. Besides, the state control on the observance of the site’s conservation regime is almost absent and there are a lot of violations.