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| Ludaš Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Ludaš Lake | |
| Location | Subotica, Serbia |
| Coordinates | 46°06′N19°49′E / 46.10°N 19.82°E /46.10; 19.82 |
| Type | natural aeolian |
| Primary inflows | Kireš and Čurgo creeks |
| Primary outflows | Kereš river (Tisa river) |
| Basin countries | Serbia |
| Max. length | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) |
| Surface area | 3.28 km2 (1.27 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 1 m (3 ft 3 in) |
| Max. depth | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Surface elevation | 93 m (305 ft) |
| Official name | Ludasko Lake |
| Designated | 28 March 1977 |
| Reference no. | 137[1] |
Ludaš orLudoš Lake (Serbian: Ludaško / Ludoško jezero;Hungarian: Ludas or Ludasi-tó) is a shallow lake in the province ofVojvodina in northernSerbia, near the city ofSubotica. It is aspecial natural preserve and, since 1977, designated as aswamp area of international significance by theRamsar Convention. The name of the lake stems from Hungarian "ludas", meaninggoose.
The lake is located 12 kilometers southeast of Subotica, 10 km away from theE75 motorway, near the villages ofŠupljak andHajdukovo. About 4.5 km long, it stretches in north–south direction. It lies on the sandy terrain betweenDanube andTisza rivers, at the borderline ofBačkaloessial plateau. Its northern part is wider andswampy, while the southern part is embedded into loess, with shores 3–4 m high. The bottom of the lake is made of watertight layer of whiteclay, covered with mud. The water is shallow, with the average depth of just 1 m and reaching the maximum depth of 2.25 m. The lake freezes up to three months a year, and in the summer its temperature can reach as high as 30 °C (86 °F).
The lake is ofaeolian origin, and its bed was formed approximately 1 million years ago, as winds emptied the sand dunes along the clay plateau. Before the water regulation system in the area was introduced, it used to be a swamp, supplied by natural precipitation and several small water streams, while a branch of theKereš River takes the extraneous water away into Tisza. Today, it also receives water influx from the Palić-Ludaš and Bega canals.
The lake and its surrounding are home to diversehabitats (aquatic, swamp,meadow andsteppe), with a number of plant and animal species. Protected lax-flowered orchid (Orchis laxiflora) is abundant on the meadow lowland terrain around the lake. Several other rare plants found their shelter here, such as: milk-vetch (Astragalus exscapus), wind flower (Pulsatilla pratensis), sage (Salvia austriaca), herbaceous periwinkle (Vinca herbacea), golden ragwort (Senecio doria).
There are 214 recorded species ofbirds, 140 of them being protected as natural rarities. Most of the species aremigratory. Richness of birds is one of the primary reasons for the environmental protection of the lake's area.Bearded reedling is the most outstanding characteristic bird, whilewhite-headed duck,ferruginous duck andmoustached warbler are just some listed on theIUCN Red List.
Land fauna is represented with some 20 species, of those, theEuropean otter is a near-threatened species.
The first act of nature protection of the lake was passed in 1955, and in 1958 the area was designated as a strict nature reserve, covering an area of 6.33 square kilometres. In 1982, the area became an integral part of the "Palić-Ludaš" regional part, which was divided into two areas after building of the E-75 motorway in 1991. Efforts for the international protection status were first introduced in 1973, when the Executive Council ofVojvodina nominated the lake to the Ramsar Site List, and on March 28, 1977 it was included in thelist of Wetlands of International Importance. In 1989, the lake and its surroundings were designated as anImportant Bird Area.
