Cheile Bistriței Ardelene

The Bistrița Ardelene Gorges form a protected area of ​​national interest, classified as a landscape nature reserve according to the IUCN category IV. It is located in Bistrița-Năsăud county, on the administrative territory of the Bistrița Bârgăului commune.

The reserve is located in the central-eastern part of Bistrița-Năsăud county, near the border with Mureș and Suceava counties. More precisely, it is located in the western area of ​​the village of Colibița, in the northwest of the Călimani Mountains, at an altitude not exceeding 800 meters.

This natural area was officially declared a reserve by Law No. 5 of March 6, 2000, published in the Official Gazette No. 152 of April 12, 2000, in the context of the approval of the national spatial development plan, Section III, dedicated to protected areas. The total area of ​​the reserve is 50 hectares.

The protected area represents a transverse valley in the peripheral part of the Călimani Mountains, which extends from the vicinity of the Bistrița Bârgăului locality to the Colibița Dam. The relief is varied, including limestone cliffs, cliffs such as the Aniniș Rocks and the Arșița Mare Rock, streams, glades and meadows. All of these contribute to the region's special landscape value.

From a biological point of view, the reserve shelters a flora and fauna characteristic of the Eastern Carpathians. The vegetation is composed of deciduous and coniferous forests, shrubs, herbaceous plants and vegetation specific to rocky areas, and the fauna is represented by mammals, reptiles, birds and fish.

In terms of flora, there are numerous species of trees and shrubs, such as fir (Abies alba), spruce (Picea Abies), pine (Pinus), larch (Larix), yew (Taxus baccata), beech (Fagus sylvatica), holm oak (Quercus petraea), oak (Quercus robur), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), field sycamore (Acer campestre), birch (Betula pendula), maple (Acer platanoides), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), black elder (Sambucus nigra), hornbeam (Cornus mas), hazel (Corylus avellana), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), rosehip (Rosa canina) and blueberry (Vaccinum myrtillus L.).

The herbaceous layer is home to rare and unique species of meadow and rock flora, such as woodruff (Asperula odorata), common primrose (Asarum europaeum), Carpathian saxifrage (Saxifraga carpatica), mountain bell (Campanula carpatica), autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale), common marigold (Alchemilla vulgaris), geranium (Geranium robertianum), primrose (Primula veris), meadowsweet (Anemone nemorosa), daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), hare's sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), honeysuckle (Pulmonaria rubra), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), centaury (Centaurium umbellatum), horsetail (Equisetum arvense), field marigold (Dentaria bulbifera) and common fern (Dryopteris filix-mas).

The fauna is also rich and diverse, including numerous species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Among the mammals present are the red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), grey wolf (Canis lupus), brown bear (Ursus arctos), wild boar (Sus scrofa), fox (Vulpes vulpes crucigera), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), marten (Martes martes), badger (Meles meles) and polecat (Mustela putorius).

The avifauna is represented by species such as the raven (Corvus corax), the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), the blackbird (Cinclus cinclus), the common blackbird (Turdus merula), the wagtail (Motacilla alba), the woodpecker (Pycoides tridactylus), the black grouse (Tetrastes bonasia), the little tit (Parus ater), the ringed plover (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), the pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), the thrush (Turdus pilaris), the cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), the goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), the crested tit (Parus cristatus), the kestrel (Falco vespertinus) and the little kestrel (Regulus regulus).

As for reptiles and amphibians, species such as the green lizard (Lacerta viridis), viper (Vipera berus), crested newt (Triturus cristatus), salamander (Salamandra salamandra), yellow-bellied frog (Bombina variegata), green toad (Bufo viridis) and red-bellied pond hawk (Bombina bombina) are reported.

Sursa: ro.wikipedia.org