The youngest of Croatia’s national parks, Sjeverni Velebit is situated in the north of the Velebit region. Covering an area of 109 square kilometres, visitors can only follow the designated trails, with only science researchers and educational visits allowed to enter the protected area. The mountaineering trails provide fantastic views of the Adriatic islands of Goli Otok, Krk, Pag, Prvic, and Rab from their peaks, and are littered with old ruins of houses and stone walls dating back hundreds of years when Velebit was home to shepherds and farmers. The park encloses the Visibaba botanical reserve and the Zavizan-Balinovac-Velika Kosa botanical reserve, with the latter housing a marvellous collection of mountain flora species, and famous also for the Velebit Botanical Garden, the only alpine garden of its kind in Croatia. In addition, visitors may also catch sight of some of the park’s wildlife, which includes the brown bear, various species of deer, and other mammals, whilst also being home to well over 100 species of butterfly. There are many endemic species of cave fauna, and the peaks of Rozanski and Hajducki kukovi – consisting of over 150 pits – are perfect for the keen explorer.
Peaks:
Hajducki kukovi
Rozanski kukovi
Flora:
Balkan Thyme (Thymus balcanus)
Black Pine (Pinetum nigrae submediterranum)
Brown Knapweed (Centaurea jacea)
Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)
Campion (Silene multicaulis)
Common Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Croatian Grassy Bell (Edraianthus graminifolius var. croaticus)
Croatian Sibbirhaea (Sibiraea althaiensis ssp. Croatica)
Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
Flowering Ash (Fraxinus ornus)
Hawkweed (Hieracium bauhinii)
Hoary Plantain (Plantago media)
Italian Maple (Acer opalus)
Junegrass (Koeleria pyramidata)
Kitajbel's Primrose (Primula kitaibeliana)
Ladies' Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris)
Mat Grass (Nardus stricta)
Meadow Sage (Salvia pratensis)
Mountain Clover (Trifolium montanum)
Mountain Elm (Ulmus glabra)
Muscadine Mallow (Malva moschata)
Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
Oriental Hornbeam (Querco-Carpinetum orientalis)
Paliurus (Paliurus aculeatus)
Red Fescue (Festuca rubra)
Rough Hawksbit (Leontodon hispidus)
Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris)
Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea)
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
Thyme (Thymus sp.)
Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris)
Upright Brome (Bromion erecti)
Velebit Degenia (Degenia Velebitica)
Waldstein's Bellflower (Campanula waldsteiniana)
Fauna:
Alpine Chamoix (Rupicapra rupicapra)
Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)
Hare (Lepus europaeus)
Lynx (Lynx lynx)
Reindeer (Capreolus capreolus)
Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)
Wolf (Canis lupus)
Wild Cat (Felis sylvestris).
Velebit Lizard (Lacerta horvathi)
Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)