The Sutjeska National Park (, ) is a national park located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Established in 1962, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina's oldest national park. It includes the country's highest peak of Maglić, at over , on the border with Montenegro. The Montenegrin part of Maglić massif in the park has also formed the Trnovačko Jezero (Trnovačko Lake). The Strict Nature Reserve "Perućica", one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, is part of the park. The park is also famous as being the location of the Battle of the Sutjeska in 1943 during World War II. It is an affiliated member of EUROPARC Federation.
History
The park was established in 1962, and is the largest and the earliest declared national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its declaration was based more on it being the site of historic battles rather than for conservation.
Perućica forest reserve, located within the national park, was established in 1952, Perućica, which is one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, is one of the five Strict Nature Reserves in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Geography
thumb|right|[[Orlovačko Lake]]
The park extends over an area of about . It is bounded on the east by the Pivska planina Mountain (Cyrillic: Пивска планина) () and Piva River up to Šćepan polje, and further along the Drina River course up to the confluence of Sutjeska River, on the west by Zelengora mountain (), connected with Lelija mountain () and on the southeast by the Maglić mountain (), Volujak mountain () and Bioč mountain ().
The park is accessible throughout most of the year but with some restrictions during part of the winter. It is accessible by road from Sarajevo– and Dubrovnik, Croatia–. Foča city, near the border with Montenegro, is away from the park and the nearest town is Mratinje. Other rivers are all tributaries of the Sutjeska. Left tributaries are Klobučarica Creek, Jabučnica Creek, and Hrčavka River. Right tributaries are Suški Creek (also called Suha River or Creek Sušica), Prijevor Creek, and Perućica Creek.
Lakes
The Zelengora mountain hide in its forests and wide and grassy plateaus, 9 glacial lakes, also known as "Gorske oči" (literally translated in Eng.= "Eyes of the Mountain"). These lakes are: Crno Lake, Bijelo Lake, Orlovačko Lake, Gornje Bare Lake, Donje Bare Lake, Štirinsko Lake, Kotlaničko Lake, Kladopoljsko Lake, and Jugovo Lake (also called Borilovačko Lake).
Climate
The park's climatic condition is a transitory zone. Moderate continental climate dominates from the north while the influence of a southern Mediterranean climate is less pronounced. The typical mountain climate is also largely moderated by the Adriatic Sea.
Flora
right|thumb|[[Maglić (mountain)|Maglić]]
thumb|right|[[chamois|Balkan chamois
(Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), a goat–antelope species found in Europe and Carpathian Mountains]]
The park's vegetation comprises thick forests (66%) mountain pastures, meadows and rocky ground above the forests. Its floral wealth comprises 2,600 species of vascular plants (many of them rare and endemic) and also about 100 species of edible fungi. Balkan chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), a goat–antelope species (native to Europe and the Carpathian Mountains) management has been done with species available from the park. During 1963–1987, 256 chamois were successfully introduced in 13 other areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia . Some of the bird species reported from the Perućica forests are: golden eagle, grouse, peregrine falcon, blackbird and rock partridge. The plan is to form another national park within the borders of Montenegro, which should protect the rest of the mountain range of Magilć-Volujak-Bioč and Trnovačko Lake. These two parks in neighboring countries should form one large transboundary protected zone.