Area 462 km² Phone +386 2 551 88 60 | Established 2003 | |
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Address Grad 191, 9264 Grad, Slovenia Hours Open today · 10AM–4PMFriday10AM–4PMSaturday10AM–4PMSunday10AM–4PMMondayClosedTuesday10AM–4PMWednesday10AM–4PMThursday10AM–4PM Similar Grad Grad, Mur, Őrség National Park, Pokrajinski muzej Murska S, Sečovlje Saltworks | ||
The Goričko Natural Park (Slovene: Krajinski park Goričko) was established on 9 October 2003 and is an integral part of the trilateral Goričko–Örseg–Raab Natural Park. It covers an area of 46,200 hectares (114,000 acres), which means that it is the second largest natural park of Slovenia.
This is the most Central European region in Slovenia, where the Dinaric, Mediterranean, and Alpine influences are almost not felt. The hills after which Goričko was named were created by the Pannonian Sea. The terrain rises slightly to the north. It is a hillocky landscape overgrown by trees. There are many marshes and wet meadows, although it is the most arid Slovenia region, with the annual rainfall of only approximately 800 litres per square metre (16 imp gal/sq ft).
Flora and fauna
Goričko is still successfully resisting the changes brought about by the human civilization. An evidence of this is the best preserved population of otters (Lutra lutra) in Slovenia. With extensive water networks as well as standing bodies of water, such as lakes, ponds and marshes, its favorable living conditions are increasing.
The most preserved natural ecosystems are the oak forests, the living space of several rare species, including the oak beetle (Cerambyx cerdo) and the stag beetle (Lucanus cervus). The Prekmurje deer (Cervus elaphus) is the only autochthonous population of dee that has lived in Slovenia and avoided extermination in the 19th century. The forests are also home to the Hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). This is a rare relative of the edible dormouse.