Cape Kamenjak

Cape Kamenjak is the southern most part of Istria, a peninsula of the almost 4 km long beautiful and indented coast, with as many as 30 bays and 11 uninhabited little islands comprising the archipelago. Covered in short bushes and macchia, with some pine trees and fertile lands, it is an area of true Mediterranean climate. In light of its exceptional natural values as well as for the purpose of protecting it against devastation more efficiently, Cape Kamenjak was declared the protected area in 1996. It fell under the care of the Natura Histrica public institution. The flora and fauna play a large role in its distinctiveness. There are as many as 600 herbal species, mostly medicinal and aromatic. Orchids stand out in particular. There are about thirty species of orchids, which bloom in spring. There is one species which blossoms in autumn. It is called autumn lady's-tresses. All orchids are protected by law, 13 of them strictly protected, while the two are endemic and found only on Cape Kamenjak. Fauna is also rich. 50 species of daytime butterflies have been noted. It also has numerous reptiles, amphibians and birds. There is exceptional life of both plants and animals underneath the water of Cape Kamenjak, including algae, shellfish, fish and Mediterranean monk seal. The latter as well as the long-snouted seahorse, noble pen shell, date shell are strictly protected. Footprints of dinosaur feet, very interesting geological heritage, are found in the south of Kamenjak, the Pinižula Bay and on the island of Fenoliga. A total of about one hundred footprints was found. They witness to the existence of two different dinosaurs, a three meter tall and 13 tonne heavy quadruped, and the other, a significantly shorter bipod, only a meter and a half tall and 150 kg heavy.