|
The River Danube flows through many countries before forming into a vast river delta between the Ukraine and Romania to meet the Black Sea. There are more varieties of fish here than anywhere else in Europe. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for both fish and birds. |
|
| In winter this is a major place for 60,000 Red Breasted Geese (most of the world's population) and over 80,000 White Fronted Geese. The Geese leave in March and return to Siberia. Smew also migrate here from Siberia. Many species of Duck over winter here and are joined by Storks in April. Blue Tits, Penduline Tits and Black Woodpeckers are found in surrounding woodlands. | |
| White winged Black Turns stop here for a few days on their migration to their breeding grounds in Poland and Russia. Over 7000 White Pelicans return from Africa and use the delta as their colony's breeding ground in Summer. They nest on the ground and consume 1000 tons of fish during their stay. | |
| Fishing includes - using axes to chop a hole in the ice, use a pole and ropes to lay a line net under the ice, then pull the net through. The cold water means that fish do not move quickly and are caught easily. | |
|
Otters also hunt the fish.
|
|
| Melting winter snows floods the delta which has fast flowing muddy water. Carp and Bream are forced into the shallows and caught by Cormorants and Egrets. Over half of the world's Pygmy Cormorants nest here. | |
| The shallow waters of flooded meadows hear the calls of thousands of small fire-bellied toads following their hibernation in mud. When the water has warmed to over 17C wild Carp begin to breed. Catfish can grow up to 100 kg and eat the Carp as they return to the deeper waters following spawning. | |
| Leeches hibernate in the mud for 9 months then surface in the floods. They can grow to more than 20cm feeding on blood from cattle. They are eaten by the Squackle (?) Heron. | |
| Swarms of horse flies and mosquitoes fill the summer skies, and they are eaten by 3,000,000,000 (yes, three billion) frogs and domestic chickens. | |
| Sturgeon, including the Beluga Sturgeon gather at the mouth of the Danube on their journey up river and are caught by fishermen. | |
| The river water has poor visibility. | |
