STUDY: ENDANGERED NATURAL VALUES OF THE UPPER PART OF THE DRAVA RIVER BASIN IN CROATIA

Due to the pressure humans impose on natural habitats generally, but in particular their disregard of the law, violation of regulations of the Republic of Croatia and international regulations in force in Croatia, the distribution of most species of the upper part of the Drava basin in Croatia is rapidly being reduced. Many of these species (at least 50 species) on the Drava river between the Ormoz reservoir and Donja Dubrava are facing near-extinction if the activities and works that are destroying their natural habitats and all natural elements of the Drava ecosystem (the ‘Stara Drava’ or ‘Old Drava’), preserved in the natural state after the construction of three Croatian hydroelectric power plants, are not immediately stopped and future works banned.