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Abstract |
The paper shows the visitor flow in the Great Paklenica canyon, the most visited part of Paklenica National Park. This area is the greatest climbing center in Croatia. About 500-800 visitors reside on average in this area daily from mid-April to the end of October. The maximum number of visitors, 90.000, was reached in 2001. Up until now we have noted more than 200 bird species the National Park area, and between 1997 and 2001 we have recorded 56 species breed in the Velika Paklenica canyon. This most visited canyon, is known as the breedding area of 18 rocky bird species, such as as Peregrine Falcon, Short–toed Eagle, Kestrel, Rock Partridge, Eagle owl, Rock Dove, Alpine swift, Raven, Rock Nuthach, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Thrush, Crag Martin, House Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Black Redstart, Black-eared Wheatear. One pair of Golden Eagles moved to an inaccessible area of the Mala Paklenica canyon. The small colonies of Griffon Vultures have ceased to exist in the National Park. The Egyptian Vulture have disappeared from Croatia at the end of the 1980-ties. This paper discusses the influences of visitor flows, climbing and other recreational activites on the breeding bird communities. |
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