Mala_ridja_Aglais_urticae

The area of Učka and Ćićarija is also important for its great variety of butterflies and moths. Data in the literature and more recent studies reveal as many as 263 species of butterflies and moths registered in the area (100 butterflies, 163 moths). The most interesting of these are protected by Croatian laws, such as the Croatian hummingbird moth (Hemaris croatica), Cleopatra butterfly (Gonepteryx cleopatra), mountain alcon blue (Phengaris alcon ‘rebeli’), arran brown (Erebia ligea), and clouded apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne), a species endangered throughout Europe.

Of particular interest also is a butterfly species that inhabits moist meadows – the large chequered skipper (Heteropterus morpheus). Such habitats are becoming very rare in Croatia, threatening the survival of this species.

Did you know?

The griffon vulture feeding site

…that griffon vultures, endangered in Croatia, are often flying over Učka in search for food? Once they were nesting here, but today their northern-Adriatic population is decreasing and in order to help in their preservation, a feeding site was build in Učka Nature Park, popularly called 'griffon vulture restaurants'.

The „Two towers“ trail

…that in 2018 a trail named „Two towers“ was established, which connects the town tower in Lovran with the Vojak tower on Učka? The trail goes through the existing hiking trail, and alongside there are educational boards that inform visitors on the flora and fauna of Učka.

The Roman cheese

…that it is traditional on Učka to produce the „molded“ sheep cheese of distinctive taste since the Roman Empire time? Its production was standardized due to its use in the nutrition of the Roman legions, while today's cheese made on Učka doesn't differ much from its antique ancestor.

Slavic mythology

…that the Mošćenička Draga's canyon used to be the scenery of sacred beliefs for the first Slavic settlers on the Kvarner area? The local toponyms like Perun, Babin grob and Voloski kuk witness about the old Slavic cult of Perun.