Malá Fatra National Park
# Malá Fatra National Park

The Malá Fatra National Park (Slovak: Národný park Malá Fatra) is a national park in the northern part of the Malá Fatra mountains called Krivánska Malá Fatra.

It has an area of 226.3 $km^2$ (87.37 $mi^2)$ and a 232.62 $km^2$ (89.81 $mi^2)$ buffer zone. The park was declared in 1988. Between 1967 and 1988 it was a protected landscape area.

For a geological and geographical description see Malá Fatra.

## Flora

The mountain is covered mainly with mixed beech forests, at higher elevations with fir and spruce. Pine woods and meadows occur at higher altitudes. About 83% of the area is covered in forest.

In the variety and beauty of flora species, the following examples stand out as the most remarkable:

* gentian (Gentiana clusii)
* auricula (Primula auricula)
* Dianthus nitidus
* round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)
* lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus)

## Fauna

The fauna includes:

* golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
* eagle-owl (Bubo bubo)
* black stork (Ciconia nigra)
* brown bear (Ursus arctos)
* lynx (Lynx lynx)
* beech marten (Martes foina)
* European otter (Lutra lutra)
* wildcat (Felis silvestris)
* grey wolf (Canis lupus)

## Remarkable places

* Kryštálová jaskyňa (Crystal Cave) with calcite decoration, located in the Malý Rozsutec Mountain
* the 38 metres high Šútovo Waterfall
* castles, such as the Strečno Castle and Starhrad
* traditional architecture: Štefanová and Podšíp settlements
* Slovak folklore centres, such as the village of Terchová
* Jánošíkove diery (trans: Janosik holes) - system of gorges and canyons
