Shaped by Water – A Journey through Serbia’s Wild Nature

Nature & Wildlife 52' 2025 4K

Millions of years ago, a vast inland sea covered large parts of Central Europe. Home to sharks, manatees, and whales, it lapped against islands and shores populated by rhinos and fur seals. Half of the land of what is now Serbia was covered by this ancient sea. It was here that the water of Europe collected, transported by rivers from the Alps, the Carpathians, and the Dinaric Alps. Gradually, this ancient sea dried up. Yet even today, it is water that shapes this Balkan nation and gave Serbia its many faces. The Danube and the main rivers such as the Sava, Morava, Drava, and Tisza still carry water into Serbia from half of Europe. Water shapes the land and gives it protection, food, and life. The result: a unique habitat with various ecosystems, a hotspot of biodiversity in Europe. 

The Iron Gate is Europe's largest river cliff landscape and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Danube has carved its way through the Southern Carpathians to the Black Sea over a distance of a hundred kilometres. A few years ago, the Iron Gate was also declared Serbia's first UNESCO Geopark. The dense forests of Tara are among the last refuges of the brown bear in the Balkans. Before the snow covers the mountain slopes in a thick blanket, the bear sets out in search of a place where it can survive the cold winter months. In the foothills of the Carpathians, water has carved deep karst caves into the mountainous region. At 9,818 metres, Lazareva Cave is the longest cave in Serbia and a habitat for species that are found only here. A living fossil lives in the steep cliffs of the Uvac Canyon: the griffon vulture was once considered extinct. However, intensive conservation measures have preserved its population. Today, the Uvac Gorge is one of the most important refuges for this bird of prey.