Kursiu Nerija National Park

Kursiu Nerija National Park

Kuršių Nerija National Park is one of Lithuania's five national parks. The park was established in 1991 in order to protect the outstanding ecosystem of the Curonian Spit and the Curonian Lagoon. The Kursiu nerija is a narrow 97 km long sandbar along the Baltic Sea in western Lithuania. Its eastern coast is washed by the Curonian Lagoon, while its western coast is washed by the Baltic Sea. Part of the Curonian Spit, 50 km in length, belongs to the Republic of Lithuania, while the other part belongs to the Russian Federation. The area is unique for its still drifting sand dunes, coastal forests with century-old pine trees, dunes carpeted with hand-planted mountain pines, white sandy beaches and old fishing villages. Legend has it that long ago, the Curonian Spit was formed by a giant girl named Neringa, who cast a sandy peninsula into the Baltic Sea to divide the peaceful bay from the stormy sea and create a shore for fishermen. The national park is home to 48 species of mammals, 8 of which are listed in the Lithuanian Red Data Book and 17 are protected at European level. The most species-rich mammal species are bats, with no fewer than 14 species. In the park you can see moose, wild boar, deer, brown fox, grey rabbit and badger. But there are also marmots, weasels, beavers, otters and shrews, among others. Invasive species can also be found in the park, including the raccoon, the Canadian Mink, the muskrat and the Common Raccoon Dog.