Uvac Canyon
The Special Nature Reserve “Uvac” is positioned in southwestern Serbia, and it encompasses the gorge of the river Uvac and its tributaries Veljušnica, Kladnica and Tisovice.
This very attractive gorge has many unique meanders and high limestone cliffs. A number of subterranean forms of karstic relief are developed in the limestone rocks. Most frequent are the rock shelters, pits, and caves, among which particularly interesting is the Ušački cave system, the longest cave system in Serbia (6,185 m).
The large open water areas of lakes Sjeničko, Zlatarsko and Radoinjsko, with surrounding meadows and pastures, are the gathering places for many bird species. So far, 104 species of birds were recorded, such as the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), goosander (Mergus merganser), corncrake (Crex crex), eagle owl (Bubo bubo) etc. Besides birds, there are many other interesting animals such as the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), otter (Lutra lutra), and bats. The caves of Uvac are the only habitat of stenoendemic species of insects from the genera Remyella and Duvalius, and the millipede Haasea lacusnigri microcorna.
The hallmark of the Reserve is the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), one of the rarest species of vultures in the Balkan Peninsula. A colony of the griffon vulture with 49 pairs today lives in the refugial habitats of this gorge, being the largest colony of this bird in the central Balkans.
