Babia Góra National Park

Infobox_protected_area | name = Babia Góra National Park
native_name = Babiogórski Park Narodowy
iucn_category = II


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location = Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
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area = 33.92 km²
established = 1954
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governing_body = Ministry of the Environment

Babia Góra National Park ( _pl. Babiogórski Park Narodowy) is one of the 23 national parks in Poland, located in the southern part of the country, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, on the border with Slovakia. The Park has its headquarters in the village of Zawoja.

The park covers an area of convert|33.92|km2|sqmi|abbr=on, of which forests occupy 31.98 km². The park includes the northern and part of the southern side of the Babia Góra massif, of which the main peak (also known as "Diablak") is the highest point of the High Beskids mountain range at convert|1725|m|ft. There is also a protected area (the Babia Hora reserve) on the Slovakian side of the massif.

The area of Babia Góra was first brought under legal protection in 1933, when the Babia Góra Reserve was created. On October 30, 1954 it was designated a National Park. Since 1976 it has been listed by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve under the Man and the Biosphere (MaB) programme. The area of the biosphere reserve was extended in 2001.

Fauna

*105 species of birds (including woodpeckers and eagle owls)
*Animals such as deer, lynx, wolves and bears
*Insects, especially beetles, including some which are unique to the area

External links

* [http://www.bgpn.pl Official site]
* [http://www.mos.gov.pl/kzpn/en/babi_gb.htm The Board of Polish National Parks]
* [http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=POL+01&mode=all UNESCO biosphere reserve information]