Retezat Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
. The highest peak is Peleaga
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
, Romania's first national park.
, lithologic
and morphologic
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
.
The hydrologic
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
drainage basin
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
(the Jiu
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
and Pulsatilla
genus. The Edelweiss
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
, short-toed eagle
, peregrine falcon
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
, brown bear
and the Eurasian lynx
; some big herbivore
s like the chamois
, red deer
and the roe deer
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
and the European otter
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
order.
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
, Uricani
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image:Retezat Mountain - Big Peak 01.JPG|Big Peak seen from the Galeşu lake.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Bucura Lake 01.JPG|Bucura Lake
view from the camping site.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Bucura Peak 01.JPG|Bucura peak as seen during spring from the Retezat peak.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Judele Peak 01.JPG|Judele peak seen from the Retezat peak, across the Gemenele–Tău Negru Scientific Reservation.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Spring Waterfall 01.JPG|A small waterfall on the Stânisoara stream.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Retezat Peak 01.JPG|Hikers
going up the north face of the Retezat peak.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Taul dintre Brazi 01.JPG|The pond
between the fir
s, a small non-glacial lake inside the national park.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Retezat Peak 04.JPG|Sunset view from the Retezat peak.
File:Where_I_have_seen_the_unseen.jpg|Trekking in Retezat Mountains
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
The Retezat Mountains are one of the highest massifs in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, being part of the Southern Carpathians
Southern Carpathians
The Southern Carpathians or the Transylvanian Alps are a group of mountain ranges which divide central and southern Romania, on one side, and Serbia, on the other side. They cover part of the Carpathian Mountains that is located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and Cerna Rivers...
. The highest peak is Peleaga
Peleaga
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is Peleaga , at an altitude of 2,509 metres...
(Vârful Peleaga), at an altitude of 2509 metres. Other important peaks are Păpuşa
Papusa
The Retezat Mountains are some of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians. One of the important peaks is Păpuşa , with a height of ....
(Varful Păpuşa) and Retezat Peak (Vârful Retezat).
Geography
The Retezat Mountains have many glacial lakeGlacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
s, including the largest glacial lake in Romania, Bucura Lake
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
(Lacul Bucura), which covers 8.9 ha and is situated at an altitude of 2030 metres. The area also contains the Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park
Retezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
, Romania's first national park.
River systems and Lakes
The tectonicTectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
, lithologic
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and morphologic
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
conditions present in the Retezat mountains, corelated with the orientation of the ridges towards the main air mass
Air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime...
es make this mountain group the most humid area in the Romanian Carpathians
Romanian Carpathians
This is an overview of the geological subdivisions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of the Alps-Himalaya System and are further divided into "provinces" and "subprovinces"....
.
The hydrologic
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
network is divided into two main directions: north, towards the river Strei (the Mureş
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) where all the rivers from the west, north and north-east areas of the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
are flowing and south, towards the Jiul de Vest River
Jiul de Vest River
The Jiul de Vest River, is a headwater of the Jiu River in Romania. The upper course of the river is also known locally as Câmpuşelu River.-References:...
(the Jiu
Jiu River
Jiu is a river of southern Romania. It is formed near Petroşani by the junction of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj and Dolj before flowing into the Danube a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo, 331...
drainage basin). The most important river course is Lăpuşnicul Mare with an annual average flow of 12.9 m3/s. Waterfalls are present on all water courses in the park.
One of the specific features of the Retezat mountains is the wide spread presence of glacier lakes
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
. Approximately 38% of the glacier lakes of Romania are found here, on the bottom of caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
s, grouped in lake clusters or isolated, and are one of the biggest tourist attraction of the park. Within the masiff limits, there are 58 permanent glacier lakes, between 1700m and 2300m. Some sources mention over 80 lakes, but here are most likely included the temporary ones as well.
The surface of the sakes varies between 300 m2 (Stânisoara I) and 88612 m2 (Bucura), the largest glacier lake in Romania. The depth of the lakes varies between 0.3m (Stânisoara I) and 29 m (Zănoaga), while the volume is between 90.3 m3 (Galeşul II) and 693.152 m3 (Zănoaga).
Flora
Of the approximately 3500 plant speciesFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
that are found in Romania, over a third (about 1200) can be found here. This is mainly the reason why this area was declared a National park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. There are over 90 plant species that are endemic to this area, the first one being discovered in 1858: flămânzica (Draba dorneri).
The alpine meadows
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
are particullary important, as here are found most of the alpine species, such as members of the Gentiana, Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
and Pulsatilla
Pasque flower
The genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
genus. The Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Edelweiss , Leontopodium alpinum, is a well-known European mountain flower, belonging to the sunflower family.-Names:The common name comes from German edel, meaning "noble", and weiß "white", thus signifying "noble whiteness".The scientific name Leontopodium is a Latin adaptation of Greek...
can also be found here. At the limits between the rocky area and the alpine fields, species of Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
(Rhododendron kotschii) can be found. The Mountain Pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
, a protected species in Romania, can be found on all the steep slopes of the Retezat mountains, while the Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra) has a wider distribution then in any other Romanian massif.
Other species that can be found here are: Hawkweed
Hawkweed
Hawkweed refers to any species in the very large genus Hieracium and its segregate genus Pilosella, in the sunflower family ....
(Hieracium borzae and Hieracium nigrilacus), members of the Centaurea
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
genus (Centaurea pseudophrygia ratezatensis, an endemic species), Cat's ear
Catsear
Catsear , also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand where it can be an invasive weed...
(Hypochoeris maculata), an endemic species of Locoweed
Locoweed
Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis) and Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include 'Yellow Gentian', 'Bitter Root', 'Bitterwort', 'Centiyane', and 'Genciana'.-Growth:...
(ro. Ghinţura galbenă).
On the calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
areas of the Small Retezat, a lot of rare or endemic species can be found, like Barbarea lepuznica (a species of the Winter cress genus) or Pedicularis baumgarteni, a species of the Pedicularis genus.
The biggest threat for the park's flora (especially the one found on the alpine fields), is overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, as here are numerous sheep herds. The species specific to this area are replaced by less fragile ones.
Fauna
Over 185 species of birdBird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, more than half of the species that can be found in Romania, visit the parc. Out of these, over 122 species nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
here. Rare birds, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, (also represented on the park logo), lesser spotted eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a large Eastern European bird of prey. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
, short-toed eagle
Short-toed Eagle
The Short-toed Snake Eagle also known as Short-toed Eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.-Range and habitat:...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, western capercaillie, Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy-owl and the black stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
reside here.
There are 55 species of mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s within the park range. There are favorable conditions here for some of Europe's biggest predators to survive: the gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
, brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and the Eurasian lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
; some big herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s like the chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and the roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, while small carnivores such as the wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
can also be found here.
In 1973, 20 alpine marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
s, brought from the Austrian Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
, were introduced in the park and released in the Gemenele glacier lake caldera. Nowadays they are found all over the park, but the impact that this nonindigenous
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
species had on other plants or animals is yet unknown. Also, after 1960, the brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
was introduced in some of the park lakes. Studies are now being performed to check if they are responsible for the decline in amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
population through these lakes, observed during the last years.
A subspecies of the Smooth Newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
(L. vulgaris ampelensis), endemic to the Charpatian mountains, lives here, while the European common frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
can be fould all over the park. Although very few common European viper
Vipera berus
Vipera berus, the common European adder or common European viper, is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper, adders have been...
bites were reported, tourists and villagers often kill them on sight. There are several endemic invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
species found here: 9 endemic species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, at least 6 specied belonging to the Plecoptera
Plecoptera
Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica...
order, and 4 belonging to the Trichoptera
Trichoptera
The caddisflies are an order, Trichoptera, of insects with approximately 12,000 described species. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies, they are small moth-like insects having two pairs of hairy membranous wings...
order.
South Retezat Region
The southern approaches to the Retezat extend from the Jiu ValleyJiu Valley
The Jiu Valley is a region in southwestern Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains...
city of Vulcan on the east end of the valley to Câmpuşel on the west end of the valley. Although there are several points of entry into the Retezat Mountains from the towns of Vulcan, Lupeni
Lupeni
Lupeni is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 31,409. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located on the banks of the West Jiu river within the Jiu Valley, at a height varying between 630 m and 760 m...
, Uricani
Uricani
Uricani is a town in the Jiu Valley region of Hunedoara County, in southern Transylvania, Romania. it had a population of 10,307.-History:Uricani is first mentioned in a certified document dated 1818, when the locality was referred to as Hobiceni-Uricani, the name it carried until the union of 1918...
, Câmpul lui Neag, and points in between, direct access to the National Park begins in the Cheile Buţii area (approximately 35 km west of Petroşani
Petrosani
Petroşani is a city in Hunedoara County, Romania, with a population of 45,447 .-History:The city of Petroşani was founded in the 17th century...
) and extends west to Câmpuşel.
North Retezat Region
The Retezat Mountains and Retezat National Park are accessible from the North by way of Romania's Route 66 (DN-66) and/or by way of train, which runs alongside Route 66, from Petroşani to the southeast or SimeriaSimeria
Simeria is a town in Hunedoara County with a population of just under 14,000, and an important railway junction with hump yard. Six villages are administered by the town: Bârcea Mare, Cărpiniş, Simeria Veche, Sântandrei, Şăuleşti and Uroi....
to the North. From Route 66, there are several gateways into the Retezat Mountains. Almost all the villages along the highway, from Ohaba de sub Piatra, just outside of Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, to Merisor, just outside of Petroşani, have access roads that run south into the Retezat Mountains.
Highest peaks
The Retezat massif peaks with an elevation of over 2000m are:Peleaga 2509m,
Păpușa 2508m,
Retezat 2482m,
Mare 2463m,
Custura 2457m,
Bucura 2433m,
Sântămaria 2400m,
Judele 2398m,
Bucura II 2372m,
Țapu 2372m,
Custura Bucurei 2370m,
Păpușa Mică 2370m,
Bârlea 2348m,
Slăveiu 2347m,
Obârșia Nucșoarei 2346m,
Morii 2340m,
Ciumfu Mare 2335m,
Șesele Mari 2324m,
Valea Rea 2311m,
Image gallery
Image:Retezat Mountain - Big Peak 01.JPG|
Image:Retezat Mountain - Bucura Lake 01.JPG|
Bucura lake
Lake Bucura is a glacier cirque lake, situated in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania. It is located south of the main ridge, at the base of Peleaga Peak, and at an altitude of about 2,040 m....
view from the camping site.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Bucura Peak 01.JPG|
Image:Retezat Mountain - Judele Peak 01.JPG|
Image:Retezat Mountain - Spring Waterfall 01.JPG|
Image:Retezat Mountain - Retezat Peak 01.JPG|
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
going up the north face of the Retezat peak.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Taul dintre Brazi 01.JPG|
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
between the fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
s, a small non-glacial lake inside the national park.
Image:Retezat Mountain - Retezat Peak 04.JPG|
File:Where_I_have_seen_the_unseen.jpg|Trekking in Retezat Mountains
External links
- Official website of Retezat National Park
- Photo gallery from Retezat Mountains
- Retezat page on SummitPost
- Maps of the Retezat
- Jiu Valley Portal - Romania's principal coalmining region and a gateway to the Retezat National ParkRetezat National ParkRetezat National Park is a natural reserve area located in the Retezat Mountains in Hunedoara county, Romania.Containing more than 60 peaks over and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians...
- Retezat - photographs + information in Czech
- Alpinet