One of the most important segments of the Danube tourist potential is its nature. There are more than twenty areas along the Danube which are under state or international protection, due to the abundance of their wild life.
In the Danube surroundings, the Delta in particular, there are more than 250 bird species - like herons, eastern Glossy Ibises, cormorants, eagles, pelicans, storks, swans, ducks, etc.
As for the fish, there are around 110 species living in the Danube and in its surroundings (hundreds of lakes, streams and channels). There are sterlets, large beaks, mackerels, carps, pikes, sturgeons, crucians, etc. The specific area is the Danube Delta, where a marine area shelters the mackerel and five different species of sturgeons, which yield fine black roe, known as caviare.
The most popular Danube birdwatching and fishing location is the Danube Delta in Romania - thanks to a large number of fish and bird species, a visitor is guaranteed a good time. There are a variety of organized birdwatching tours in this region, even the ones that offer "floating hotels". Apart from the Delta, there are a lot of possibilitiesssss for birdwatching in Srebarna biosphere reserve in Bulgaria (where 150 protected species can be seen), as well as in Kopacki Rit in Croatia, Small Carpathians in Slovakia and Gunyburg near Ulm in Germany.
Since there is a long fishing tradition in all of the Danube countries, all the cities and national parks on its banks offer a possibility of sport fishing. Most of them are included in organized fishing tours, while others have fishing spots for individual visitors. However, one needs to get a precise information on the periods of the year when fishing for certain species is allowed.
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