Brijuni lies on the western Istrian coast with a group of 14 islets and islands with an area of 7.42 km2. The coastline length is 46.8 km. Veliki Brijun and Mali Brijun are the two indented islands. You can easily access the rocky and low shores because the rocks are horizontally stratified. Limestone is the chief component of the islands with red soil or carbonated brown layers on places.
Brijuni National Park is rich in flora compared to other regions of this area. Brijuni is the place where anthropogenesis and natural elements are perfectly unified. The farmlands in Brijuni have been taken up and the forests were transformed into beautiful parks with lovely landscape and meadows. Brijuni is an outstanding landscape on the Adriatic Coast of Croatia.
With Mediterrnean characteristic the flora of Brijuni National park is varied and diverse. In Velki Brijuni you will find conifers, laurel forests, holm oak, macchia and more. The islands of Brijuni have plant species which are rare species of Istria like the wild cucumber, rare grass species, marine poppy and others.
The islands of Brijuni were home to ancient Romans. Till 19th century the quarries of islands of Brijuni were mainly used. From the Middle Ages the islands belonged to Venice. The islands also formed a part of the Illyrian Provinces of Napoleon after the region was annexed by Napoleon. Then came the Austrian Empire and after a long history of war and dependence Croatia became independent in 1991.
The animal world of Brijuni along with autochthonous species has imported species which got acclimated to the habitat. Brijuni has microclimatic conditions ideal for such acclimatization. There are mouflons, fallow deer, aksis deer, and European hare as open animals.
The Ethno Park in Brijuni is a typical homestead with autochthonous species like donkeys, Istrian sheep, goats and Istrian ox. It is the home for the Istrian domestic animals with their perfect habitat.
The Safari Park is located to the north of Veli Brijun which is the habitat of South American Camels, Indian elephants, nilgais, kob antelopes, zebras, donkeys, Indian cows and Somalian sheep.
Tucked behind Cape Gromace in the Veli Brijun southern cove is Saline, the bird reserve. The birds hide amidst the Mediterranean macchia, swampy plants and swims in the lovely lakes.
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