Wetland of Lake Kerkini

The lake and the area around it are designated a wetland, but when the locals refer to the wetland (or idroviotopos), they tend to mean the northern part of the lake, where the Strymonas (or Struma) River flows into the lake and a swampy forest has formed. The wetland of Lake Kerkini is protected by Greek and European laws and has been designated a Ramsar Site according to the Ramsar Wetlands Convention, which recognizes it as a wetland of international importance. Over 276 bird species have been recorded at Lake Kerkini, representing 68% of the species present in Greece, several of them rare or endangered. Also, a significant number of fish, amphibians and reptiles live around the lake, as well as the largest number of buffalo in Greece. Furthermore, Lake Kerkini features Greece's largest aquatic area covered by water lilies.