Europe's Amazon

Ukraine, Romania, Moldova

Europe's Amazon

Ukraine, Romania, Moldova

Incredible numbers of species have found sanctuary in this wild paradise. The Danube Delta is Europe’s unrivalled wetland.

‘Europe’s Amazon’ takes us through the vast network of wetland and channels in this 580,000-hectare delta. Over 200 thousand hectares of reed beds take root in these wetlands. The delta harbours the largest number of fish species anywhere in Europe and massive amounts of waterbirds of all kinds find their home here.

Beavers are making their return into the area and also white-tailed eagles show a remarkable comeback. And with plenty of food and shelter, the opportunistic golden jackal is thriving here.

The area has unprecedented potential for wetland restoration and rewilding.

FEATURES

Pelicans in the Danube Delta

The Danube Delta harbours the largest colony of white pelicans in Europe, with 70% of the species worldwide congregating here in the summer months. An impressive and unforgettable sight!
Wallowing water buffalos

In 2019 Rewilding Europe and Rewilding Ukraine successfully released the first water buffalos onto Ermakov Island in the Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta. They are one of nature's great engineers, creating a more diverse landscape through their grazing and wallowing through the mud.
Breathing new life into lakes and rivers

By restoring connectivity and natural water flows, rewilding efforts are already breathing back life into the delta's lakes and rivers and restoring its diverse wildlife populations.

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Golden jackal

Although the golden jackal is thriving in the Danube Delta, this stealthy animal is not always the easiest to spot. A lucky capture from a wildlife camera shows a mother and her pups hidden between the long grass.
Bee-eaters

Dynamic river systems are of great importance for many species, with steep river banks being just as important as nesting grounds for birdlife as open stretches of reed beds and floodplains.
Tourism in the delta

The abundance of wildlife in the Danube Delta makes it a paradise for birdwatchers and other wildlife enthusiasts. Rewilding Europe helps local entrepreneurs to harness this opportunity.

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Breaking barriers

Dams are a big threat to fish population. Rewilding Europe joined the Dam Removal Europe initiative to promote dam removal across the continent and bring back free-flowing rivers.

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Busy builders

Beavers are busy builders, shaping rivers and waterways like no other animal. Watch one the Danube Delta's engineers during his nightly constuction work.
Grass snake

A richer variety of habitats is essential for many species to thrive, with reptiles being one of the examples. Natural grazing by wild herbivores can help create a diverse vegetation structure in which open areas are interspersed with nearby cover that provides protection.

Learn more about our work in this rewilding area

Explore

Learn more about our work in this rewilding area

Explore

Latest rewilding updates from the field

Growing Dalmatian pelican numbers offer timely boost for rewilding effortsDecember 18, 2020

Kulan comeback: wild donkeys set to roam free in the Danube Delta region once againMay 21, 2020

Rewilding breathes new life into Danube Delta lakes and communitiesMay 14, 2020

Rewilding progress as multiple dams removed in Ukrainian Danube DeltaNovember 25, 2019

OUR REWILDING EFFORTS

Wetland restoration

Wetlands are some of the planet’s most productive ecosystems. They not only support immense biodiversity, but they also provide an optimum natural environment for the sequestration and long-term storage of carbon dioxide.

Rewilding of wetlands can help mitigate our climate impact by turning them back from carbon sources into carbon sinks. In the Danube Delta, our local team works to significantly improve the natural functioning of delta habitat, using rewilding principles on a landscape scale. Revitalised natural processes, particularly flooding and natural grazing, help to recover a healthy ecosystem that can provide people and nature with its myriad of benefits.

Hefty herbivores to bring back natural dynamics

In May last year, seven water buffalo were translocated to Ermakov Islands in the Danube Delta. Through natural grazing, these hefty herbivores help create a more diverse landscape by preventing any single plant species from becoming over-dominant.

As one of nature’s great engineers. they also create new habitats by trampling and wallowing. Their organic waste provides habitat and food for many insects, while the small pools of water they create are important for amphibians such as red-bellied toads and tree frogs. Interacting with natural flooding and other natural processes, these completely free-living large herbivores will greatly diversify the dynamics and habitats on the island.

Reflooding and reconnecting

In the Danube Delta, we are working on the removal of dams and large-scale reflooding of former polders, and reconnecting Danube lakes with the main river again.

As part of the Dam Removal Europe initiative, Rewilding Europe is actively working to restore free-flowing rivers in Europe. The main focus is on the removal of old, obsolete dams. Natural rivers provide better opportunities for fisheries, flood protection, drinking water, recreation and nature.

Europe's Amazon

Europe's Amazon

FEATURES

Latest rewilding updates from the field

OUR REWILDING EFFORTS

Wetland restoration

Hefty herbivores to bring back natural dynamics

Reflooding and reconnecting

Partners involved