The greatest abundance of the viridity of water and forests in the Osijek - Baranja County and whole Slavonia is to be found in Kopacki Rit Nature Park. The park covers the wetland area around the confluence of the Drava with Danube River, near Osijek, a total of 238 hectares, and which has reminded in its natural state since the most distant times. Kopacki Rit is one of the largest natural wetlands in Europe and as such has been recommended for inclusion in the UNESCO List of Natural Heritage.

Were it located in some other country, due to its extraordinary value and the unique beauty of its wetland landscapes, Kopacki Rit would have undoubtedly been awarded the status of a national park, but in Croatia this has not been possible because of strict criteria applied to national parks. In certain areas of this park there is controlled exploitation of woods, while in other areas hunting is permitted.
The reason for this lies in the fact that the area of Kopacki Rit is one of the most attractive hunting grounds in Europe. Since Croatian laws strictly forbid such activities in national parks, for the time being Kopacki rit is merely a nature park. Many nature lowers would be happy to see such activities prohibited altogether, and not only in the zoological reserve, which covers an area of up to 80 hectares in the central area of the park.

Large herds of deer are practically a trade mark of Kopacki Rit, and that despite the facts that herds of wild boar are just large. There are other mammals in the park, but far more numerous are birds, almost 300 different species. The most important among them are the very rare and protected species: white tailed eagle and black stork. Among other rare animals living in the park a special place is occupied by turtles.

Video Clip Kopacki Rit (Intro Movie)