Iernut - Cipău Ponds

Iernut - Cipău Ponds are located in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. The ponds were created by damming, initially the water was pumped from the Mureş River located in the vicinity. In recent years the rains are raising the water level regularly, especially at Iernut Pond. The Iernut ponds were created in 1975 - two ponds with an area of 108 ha, and the Cipău ponds in 1983 - 4 ponds with an area of 57 ha.

Photo: Neluţu

Importance: Natura 2000 protected site, C4 - large gatherings of water birds. The two farms are an important resting place for migratory birds in Transylvania, and regularly host between 35,000 to 48,000 water birds. In recent years, at Iernut the willows grew in the midst of one of the lakes and there formed a small colony of night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax), which, with a proper management, could increase in coming years. The human impact is more pronounced at Iernut due to disturbance created by the large number of fishermen and hunters in some periods, and due to some management issues of the fisheries.

Fărăgău Lake

Fărăgău Lake is a nature reserve in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania.

The area is located in the hills of Transylvanian Plain, between Tg. Mureş and Reghin. The geological formations are Tertiary and Quaternary, frequently occurring Panonian and Sarmatian formations consisting of clays, marly clays and sands. The lake is situated in the valley on the NW-SE, with an inclination of 10° and at an altitude of 360 m. Situated in the Mureş River hydrographic basin, Fărăgău Lake was formed behind of a natural dam of sediments on Sar Rivulet, being the latest natural lake in Transylvania. In the years 1984-1987, the lake was transformed into fish pond. It has a total length of 750 m, total width of 350 m, maximum depth of 4.5 m and a layer of lacustrine deposits of 3-5 m.

Plant species on around the lake reveals a series of rarities such as: Sonchus paluster, Senecio paludorus, Lathyrus paluster, Epipactis palustris, Oenante silaifolia, Hammarby paludosa, and some rare hydrophyte species specific to this biotope as: Parnassos palustris, Sium latifolium, Rorippa anphibia, Oenante aquatica, Salix rosmarinifolia, asperula rivalis, Epilobium palustre, Triglochin palustre, Carex paniculata, Geranium palustre, etc. The reserve regime of the is motivated by the presence of the areas where peat moss (Sphagnum) form associations with the fern Dryopteris thelypteris.

In terms of fauna there are a number of rare species as: the ostracoda Darwinula Zimmer, relict of tropical origin, the frog species Rana arvalis weltersterffi, but the real reason for declaring the area as a protected area is that this lake with the whole downstream fish development are a great place of refuge and feeding grounds for many species of birds (about 180 species have been observed, of which 40 nesting species).

Săruleşti Lake

Săruleşti Lake is one of the most famous lakes in Romania, and one of the best carp fishing trail in the world. It is located 55 km from Bucharest, in Săruleşti-Sănduliţa village, Călăraşi County. The lake was created in 1980, by the communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu in an attempt to transform Bucharest in port by building the Dâmboviţa-Danube Canal . Three villages were flooded, after which the project was abandoned, but fishermen have benefited from the union of some famous fish farms. The lake covers an area of about 500 hectares, has a maximum depth of only 16m, with an average of 5-6m. The bottom of the lake varies from very muddy to very hard.

Image from here

The Săruleşti Lake is populated with carp, bream, cteno, zander, bass, perch, pike, catfish, roach and other secondary species, but it is a real heaven for carp fishermen, being named “Jurassic Carp” or “Big Fish Mecca”, frequently being captured specimens over 30 kg. In the World Top Ten carp catches, eight are from Săruleşti. Here is organized the Carp Fishing World Cup and were established several world records.



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Europe's largest pelican colony

Lake Roşca-Buhoiova, Strictly Protected Reserve in the Danube Delta since 1972, is home to Europe's largest white pelican colony.


This is the most important pelican colony in Europe, including 4,000 - 4,500 birds, a mixed colony. It is the place where thousands of common pelican pairs associates with tens and even hundreds of curly pelicans pairs and of big cormorants, in a landscape reminding of the Jurassic Park. Only specialists authorized are allowed in the colonies. There, the white pelican is 50% of the world's breeding population, and the Dalmatian pelican 5% of the world population. The much rarer Dalmatian pelican nests on plaur in the Sacalin Zatoane Strictly Protected Area.


This colony is in danger due to the construction of Bystroe canal by Ukraine. Following a decrease in ground-water layers, the pelicans' nesting will be affected by lack of fish and destruction of habitats.