The second part of the Sunday tour included a nature reserve Codru.
The reserve itself consists of three zones: the protected zone, the buffer zone, and the transit zone. The protected zone in the smallest one. Any human activity, with an exception of scientific observation and sampling, is prohibited in the zone. The buffer zone allows for moderate human activity, including experimentation. It exists to guard the protected zone from the outside world. The transit zone is large, up to 2 km in width. For the most part it contains public and private allotments.
Unfortunately, the tour didn’t include a walk tour through the reserve itself. We only had time to take a look at the museum.
Now, I don’t pretend to be knowledgeable about Moldavian flora and fauna, but I think even for a person with a bit of interest in the local natural world some of the facts will come as a surprise.
For example, as I found out that day, Moldova has 153 types of birds. I had no idea! I thought it was something like, I dunno, maybe 40? There are 8000 types of insects *shudder*. And apparently Codru reserve also has wildcats on its territory. Wildcats are at the brink of extinction. They’re on the Red List of Threatened Species.
If taxidermy isn’t your thing (I feel ye), then some photos may make your eye twitch a little, but eh.
They’re part of any natural history museum.
See the first part of the Sunday tour here.
Continue reading Codru Reserve.
