Western Pomeranian lagoons (national park)

Almost half of the national park is the open Baltic Sea. More than a quarter of the area is in the water area of ​​the Dars-Zingster lagoon chain and the West Rugen lagoon chain. Thus, the protection is in shallow water (in the Baltic Sea, the border of the park is 10 m isobath) with rich flora and fauna. Different salt content in different parts of the Baltic Sea and lagoons contributes to biodiversity. Atlantic herring regularly comes to spawn here from the Baltic.

The park covers part of Darssa and the Zingst Peninsula, as well as most of the island of Hiddensee . In addition, it includes a narrow strip of land on the island of Rügen , adjacent to the lagoons. The land part of the park is covered with pine and oak forests. Uninhabited territories are represented by coastal swamps.

An important task of the Perednepomeransky lagoons national park is to preserve the natural dynamics of landscapes, for example, the constant change of coasts. There is a lot of soil on the cliff and the territory covered by abrasion is constantly growing, for example, in the Darcer area and the Bessin peninsula (on Hiddenza).

National Park Perednepomeransky lagoons is an important tourism destination in the land of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It is known as an autumn resting place for south-flying cranes .

The national park has watts. But unlike the watts of the North Sea, their existence is not associated with tidal phenomena in shallow water. Water level fluctuations here are associated with the action of the wind, in extreme cases they can reach several meters. In the fall, these wind watts are a source of diverse food for migratory birds. For cranes crossing the Front Pomeranian lagoons during the flight, they are one of the most important holiday destinations in Western Europe.

Long- faced seals regularly enter the territory of the park, but they do not breed here. You can also watch the common seal . In addition, episodic visits of porpoise are noted. The otter lives in the park.

Roe deer , wild boar , red deer live in the land part of the park, and doe is also found on the territory of Zingst. Hiddenza has a small population of mouflons . In addition, various small mammals, such as a baby mouse , live here. You can also observe various species of bats, such as forest bat , dwarf bat and evening dung .

The lagoons are an important wintering ground for migratory birds, as well as a nesting site for many species. In total, 163 bird species nest in the territory of the national park, 67 of which are included in the German Red List (an analogue of the Russian Red Book). The park is a place of attraction for large flocks of gray cranes, numbering up to 60,000 individuals, which stop here between September and November.

The lagoons are home to 48 species of fish. Often there are bream , roach , river eel , three-spined stickleback and nine-spined stickleback , river perch , pike perch and pike .

There is a problem of water pollution in the national park. It is associated with intensive farming in the fields surrounding the national park. With excessive application of fertilizers, their excess falls into its territory.

Fertilizers from the fields change underwater vegetation. Numerous char algae species, previously widespread, have completely disappeared or greatly reduced numbers. Osprey is no longer observed in the park, which is associated with a decrease in the transparency of water in the lagoons. Because of it, the osprey cannot hunt fish and remains without food.

Another problem is the intensive tourist use of part of the waters and lands of the national park, as well as the hunting use of its territory.