In order to preserve the landscape of the Nemunas Delta region, its natural ecosystem and cultural heritage values, the Nemunas Delta Regional Park was established in 1992, and its landscape is particularly rich. Its territory includes shallow bays of the Curonian Lagoon, the entire network of rivers and streams in the Nemunas Delta, oxbow lakes, Lake Krokų Lanka, the floodplain meadows of the Nemunas River’s lower course, the largest polder system in the region, the Aukštumala raised bog and other wetlands, Lithuania’s largest island Rusnė (covering an area of 46 km²), and the Ventė Cape Peninsula.
LANDSCAPE
The Nemunas Delta begins 48 km from its mouth (below Tilžė), where the Nemunas River splits into the Rusnė and Gilija branches. The Rusnė further divides into the Atmata and Skirvytė branches 13 km from its mouth (at Rusnė Island) The plain of the Nemunas Delta is bordered by the branches of the Nemunas River and the deltas of adjacent rivers, including the Minija, Šyša, Tenenys, and Leitė. As sediments accumulate steadily at the mouth of the Nemunas, the delta gradually expands and shifts toward the Curonian Lagoon. The landscape and biodiversity of the delta rivers (Minija, Atmata, Skirvytė, Rusnė, and others) can be explored by boat from Šilutė, Rusnė, Minija, or Ventė.
A lookout tower has been installed on the western shore of the lake (along the road to the village of Minija (Mingė)), offering visitors a chance to observe the unique landscape of this Lithuanian lake and its exceptionally rich birdlife.
The Nemunas Delta is one of the few places in Lithuania and Europe where large, constantly flooded swampy deciduous forest masses—habitats of European significance—can still be seen. The forest and wetland complexes are home to many rare bird species protected in Lithuania and the European Union (black stork, greater spotted eagle, common crane, Eurasian Eagle-Owl, etc.). In the meadows near Žalgiriai Forest, one of the most important breeding sites for the great snipe (a globally threatened species) has been found.
The floodplain covers an area of approximately 400 km². Seasonal floods in the Pomeranian region are typical in spring and autumn-winter. Floods most commonly occur in spring when the Nemunas overflows its banks. Spring floods in the lower Nemunas begin in late March and reach their peak 6–8 days after the river overflows its channel. Floodwaters and ice destroy embankments, inundate settlements, damage roads and shorelines, and deposit debris on fertile lands. Each year, floods cause significant damage. During major floods, more than 1,500 residents are affected, with floodwaters sometimes reaching the outskirts of Šilutė.
FLORA AND FAUNA
The Nemunas Delta and its surrounding areas are distinguished by an exceptionally high diversity of habitats as well as flora and fauna. Over 600 species of flowering plants have been recorded in the regional park, including 25 rare and endangered species listed in the Lithuanian Red Data Book. The Nemunas Delta is home to the extremely rare and endangered yellow floatingheart (Nymphoides peltata) in Lithuania. Particularly valuable plant species grow in the wet meadows and sandy grasslands surrounding the delta, many of which are found only in the Pomeranian region, such as the saltmarsh rush (Juncus gerardii), bog-myrtle (Myrica gale), sea arrowgrass (Triglochin maritimum), and others.
Among the numerous invertebrate species living in the delta, rare species of mollusks and insects have been discovered, including those listed in the Lithuanian Red Book (such as the thick shelled river mussel (Unio crassus), emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator), green hawker (Aeshna viridis), yellow-legged dragonfly (Gomphus flavipes), large white-faced darter (Leucorrhinia pectoralis), heath goldsmith ground beetle (Carabus nitens), heath ground beetle (Agonum ericeti), old world swallowtail(Papilio machaon), scarce large blue (Phengaris teleius), large heath (Coenonympha tullia), and others).
Around 50 fish species are found in the waters of the Nemunas Delta. Several rare fish species listed in the Lithuanian Red Book inhabit the Nemunas Delta and the adjacent part of the Curonian Lagoon, including the sea lamprey, Atlantic salmon, and weatherfish. The waters of the Nemunas Delta also host a few fish species that are rare in Europe, such as the river lamprey, brook lamprey, asp, ziege, amur bitterling, twaite shad, and wels catfish. The lower reaches of the Nemunas River form the most important migratory route in Lithuania for many anadromous fish species, including lampreys, salmon, sea trout, vimba bream, burbot, smelt, and others. In the delta, smelt, wels catfish, and twaite shad spawn. Pike, zander, bream, and roach spawn in the oxbow lakes, floodplain ponds, and lakes after entering them with floodwaters. The Nemunas Delta has long been renowned as a region of fishermen. This is one of the most fish-rich areas in the Baltic region. Recreational fishing in the Nemunas Delta Regional Park is allowed in accordance with recreational fishing regulations. During the spawning season, only smelt migrating from the Curonian Lagoon to rivers can be caught. Ice fishing for smelt in the Curonian Lagoon is extremely popular and attracts thousands of recreational anglers every year.
In the delta’s wetlands and waters, various species of amphibians and reptiles can be found, including rare and protected species in Lithuania such as the European fire-bellied toad and the natterjack toad. In many areas of the delta, the common grass snake can be seen, while common european adders are frequently found in the marshes.
The Nemunas Delta Regional Park is home to 50 species of mammals, 14 of which are listed in the Lithuanian Red Book. Several bat species rare in Europe have been recorded in this area, while forest habitats shelter northern birch mouse and stoat, and streams and lakes are home to otters. Beaver lodges are particularly common and can be seen throughout many parts of the delta. The forests and wetlands of the delta are a crucial refuge for moose in the Nemunas Delta region. Throughout the Nemunas Delta, including the part of the delta belonging to Russia, several wolf families reside.
However, the Nemunas Delta is most renowned as a kingdom of birds.
Over 300 bird species have been recorded in the Nemunas Delta, with around 180 species nesting in the area. The delta, along with its surrounding floodplains, marshes, and wet forests, serves as the most important breeding ground in Lithuania for many rare and endangered bird species. In the Nemunas Delta Regional Park, 58 nesting bird species are listed in the Lithuanian Red Book, and 54 species are included in the list of the most protected bird species in the European Union. This unique natural area is a breeding site for globally endangered water and wetland bird species, such as the great snipe (Gallinago media) and the aquatic warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola), with the ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca) also recorded during the breeding season. The Nemunas Delta provides crucial breeding habitats for numerous rare bird species in Lithuania, including the black-necked grebe, great bittern, greylag goose, shelduck, northern shoveler, white-tailed eagle, corncrake, oystercatcher, ruff, dunlin, little tern, black tern, eagle-owl, bearded tit, and many others.
Nemunas Delta Regional Park is one of the most important sites in Europe for migrating water birds.
This unique area is home to the internationally important migratory migratory eared grebes, great white herons, song swans, little swans, white-crowned godwits, greylag, white-fronted and greylag and greylag geese, and cypress, resting and feeding areas for grey, pintail, spoon-billed, brown-headed and tufted ducks, waders, great and lesser black-backed gulls, common and lesser spotted gulls, terns, cranes, little gulls, black terns, and other waterbirds.
The floodplain meadows of the Regional Park are among the most important resting sites in Europe for migrating whooper swans. Every year, from March to April, up to 4,000 whooper swans breeding in the European tundra gather there, their loud “trumpeting” calls echoing across many parts of the delta. The wet meadows surrounding the Delta are one of Europe’s most important resting places for white-fronted and greylag geese. During high spring tides, huge flocks of White-fronted Geese can be seen there, stopping off on their way to breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra, where up to 100,000 birds have been counted. Deltoje pavasarinės migracijos metu nuolat registruojami didžiausi Lietuvoje traukiančių rudagalvių ir dryžgalvių kryklių, cyplių, smailiauodegių, šauštasnapių ir pilkųjų ančių, bei laukių būriai.
Deltos seklumose, smėlio salose ir aplinkinėse šlapiose pievose yra vienos svarbiausių Baltijos regione migruojančių sėjikinių paukščių poilsio vietos. Pastaraisiais metais ten stebėti labai dideli pempių (iki 11000 paukščių), gaidukų (iki 8000), juodkrūčių bėgikų (iki 500) ir kitų sėjikinių paukščių būriai.
Vasaros pabaigoje (liepos – rugpjūčio mėnesiais) deltoje galima stebėti juodųjų žuvėdrų būrius. This is the only place in Lithuania where up to 15,000 of these rare birds gather each year.
The Nemunas Delta is one of the most important resting places in Europe for migratory brown-headed and tufted ducks. Pastaraisiais metais rudeninės migracijos metu ten stebėta apie 40000 rudagalvių ančių ir iki 50000 – kuoduotųjų ančių.
1993 m. The Nemunas Delta Regional Park is recognised as an internationally important site for migratory birds under the Ramsar Convention, and in 2004 it was designated as a Site of International Importance for Migratory Birds. The park is a site of the European Union’s Natura 2000 network (which includes EU protected natural areas).
The largest conservation programme of the United Nations Environment Programme and other international environmental organisations for waterbirds and their key habitats, “Wings over Waters”, is being implemented in the Nemunas Delta Regional Park. Programos tikslas – svarbiausių migruojančių vandens paukščių žiemaviečių bei poilsio vietų visame migraciniame kelyje Vakarų Palearktikoje (tarp jų ir Nemuno deltoje) išsaugojimas.
Pavasarį didžiulių migruojančių vandens paukščių būriai sutraukia stebėjimo mėgėjus. Didžiausias migruojančių gulbių, žąsų ir ančių būrius Nemuno deltoje kovo – balandžio mėnesiais galima stebėti potvynių užlietose pievose Rupkalvių ir Žalgirių ornitologiniuose draustiniuose (ties keliu Šilutė – Rusnė), Sausgalvių ornitologiniame draustinyje (prie Sausgalvių kaimo), Rusnės salos pietinėje dalyje, Minijos senvagės botaniniame – zoologiniame draustinyje bei kitose deltos vietovėse.
Rugpjūčio – spalio mėnesiais didelius migruojančių vandens paukščių būrius gali stebėti Kintų žuvininkystės tvenkiniuose, iš regyklų ir apžvalgos bokštų, įrengtų paukščių stebėtojams prie Krokų Lankos ežero, Ventės Rage ir Rusnės saloje, bei Aukštumalos ir Pakalnės pažintiniuose takuose. Tačiau didžiausią sparnuočių įvairovę galima pamatyti plaukiant laivu ties Kniaupo įlanka ir Krokų Lankos ežeru bei ties Atmatos upės žiotimis susiformavusiose smėlio salelėse.
Spalio mėnesį paukščių stebėtojai kviečiami į kasmet Pamario krašte rengiamas išskrendančių paukščių palydėtuvės bei į tradicinį „Paukščių ralį“ (paukščių stebėjimo varžybos mėgėjams ir profesionalams).
Visitors are invited to get acquainted with bird migration at the Ventė Rags Ornithological Station of the Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum. The Ornithological Station has a small museum where you can learn about the history of bird ringing, bird migration studies and the unique world of the winged birds of the Nemunas Delta. Ventė Ragas is a very important place for migratory birds. Sometimes up to 300,000 birds pass through Vente Ragas every day. In 1929, Prof. T. Ivanauskas established the Ventė Horn bird ringing station. This station is one of the oldest in the world. In recent decades, the ornithological station has been equipped with the world’s largest bird traps (60 m wide and 25 m high) and modern zigzag traps. These traps were designed by Leonas Jezerskas, a long-time director of the ornithological station. Since its establishment, the Ventė Rags Ornithological Station has seen a total of about 2 million bird sightings of 226 species. More than 95% of all ringed birds were small passerines (starlings, great tits, swallows, etc.). In recent years, about 300-400 reports of birds ringed at the Station have been received annually from various countries in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Nemuno deltos regioninio parko informacija
Daugiau informacijos www.nemunodelta.lt, www.saugoma.lt