Jun 17 2008
Falcon Sanctuary - Near Šibenik
Emilio Mendušič was kind enough to show us the birds at his Falcon Centre on Saturday. Emilio and the volunteers have created one of the rare raptor rescue centres in Europe. Visitors can spend an hour walking around the compound, including the hospital, feeding the birds and being educated by the team. (For example did you know owls have serrations on the leading edge of their wing feathers that produce tiny vortices which reduce drag thus allowing the bird to produce only 0.1dB when flying?)
For those wanting to get in touch with their blue-blooded heritage, the centre also organizes 5-day adventure where guests are taught to hunt with falcons. Croatians that complete this package are then asked to become first responder volunteers - if the centre receives a call about an injured bird in their area the volunteer is called to make initial contact. There are now 75 volunteers around Croatia.
Conservation efforts are relatively new in Croatia - for most Croats the land and the sea are to be worked; caring for wildlife is way down the list of priorities. But several other rescue centres have appeared in the last 10 years.
Near Krasno Polje, below the North Velebit National Park (one of our favorite places to hike) is Kuterevo Bear Refuge - a small sanctuary for the local brown bears. Croatia still has a bear hunting season and cured bear meat can be found on the menu in some restaurants.
Unfortunately for local dolphins fishermen regarded them as competition for fish and destroyers of nets - so they were killed. With fish stocks also dropping the number of these mammals has decreased. The Adriatic Dolphin Project in Veli Lošinj is attempting to rectify the situation.
Eurasian Griffon Centre successfully lobbied for the habitat of these birds on Cres Island to be proclaimed Special Ornithological Reserves. They also run a rescue compound where injured birds are cared for, before being released to the wild.
