Velebit Nature Park is the most significant endemic focal point of the flora and terrestrial fauna in Croatia. There are 1,854 plant taxa recorded on Velebit, 79 of them endemic. That is precisely why this area is frequently referred to as a “center of endemism”. Habitats of these species include rocks and talus cones on the western slopes of Velebit, as well as the caves and the area around the rivers Krupa and Zrmanja, and mountain grasslands and pastures. Forest habitats are predominant. Meadows and pastures are particularly important, as they safeguard biodiversity. Beech forests with large red dead nettle (Lamio orvalae – Fagetum) are the most widespread, and they are located in areas below the altitude threshold of 900 meters. The Ornithological Institute of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts has singled out this area for the purposes of inclusion into the European Natura 2000 network, with as many as 18 bird species satisfying the strict criteria. Velebit Nature Park has its special underground story as well. The locality of Cerovačke Caves represents the largest cave complex in Croatia. It consists of three caves – the lower, middle and upper cave – with 5.5 kilometers of caves researched so far. One sea jewel of the Park is the cove of Zavratnica. It always manages to find its place on various lists of the most beautiful coves of the Adriatic. It feels as if a small part of the coastline of the northern seas ended up in Croatia. The shape of Zavratnica reminds of a fjord, even though there have never been any glaciers here. Velebit Nature Park is a place where you can simultaneously head high into the clouds, and deep into the breathtaking underworld.

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