"I look at the blue lakes ..." - probably many of you have heard this song. Indeed, the lakes are one of the greatest and unique Russian treasures. Geographers claim that in our country there are more than two million lakes! And each of them is unique in its own way. Each of them is worthy of attention and study and can become the object of an interesting study ... And, of course, a place of rest - calm, away from city bustle and noise, or, conversely, active - a long trip with tents and overnight campfires. In any case, do you already feel the smell of travel romance?
And to start your expedition, you need to prepare. No, this is not about collecting a backpack and buying a tent. To go to a particular natural object, you first need to know a little about the place you are going to visit. If your path lies to Kravtsov Lake in Stavropol, then this article is for you. From it you will learn the history of the origin of the reservoir, especially the flora and fauna of the lake and much more useful and interesting.
About geography
Kravtsovo Lake is located in Stavropol, or rather, nine kilometers southwest of it. Such proximity to the city, of course, attracts vacationers, and the lake can be a great danger for them. But first things first.
Kravtsovo Lake Stavropol occupied the space between the two small rivers Egorlyk and Kalaus, near the Grushevoy river. It belongs to the Don river basin. By origin, Kravtsovo belongs to relict lakes, which means that in its place a few millennia ago the sea was located. The shape of the lake is oblong, elongated from east to west. The pond by geographical standards is quite small - its area is only 750 square meters, and the depth basically does not exceed two and a half meters.
However, this is precisely the case when size does not matter, because the uniqueness of Kravtsov Lake in Stavropol is not at all in a gigantic area.
Vegetable world
Flora of Kravtsov Lake is of particular interest to botanists. Many species that grow here are listed in the Red Book of Russia. Such plants include teliperis bog and sedge millet. Some of the representatives of the local flora are endemic - that is, species that live only within this ecosystem and nowhere else. Unique from this point of view are the reying graying, the lamella lenticular.
In the animal world
But, of course, most of the tourists who come here do not seek to look at rare herbs. The animal world attracts visitors much more, because fishing on the Kravtsov Lake of Stavropol has become one of the favorite pastimes of vacationers. If you, too, are not averse to fishing fish, then remember that recreational and sport fishing is allowed only in the southern part of the reservoir. You can catch crucians, carp, perches on the hook. Both roach and catfish are found here.
In addition to fish, various species of frogs, newts, lizards inhabit Kravtsovo and coastal territories, even a marsh turtle is found here. And near-water thickets were chosen by various waterfowl: gulls, ducks, herons.
Environmental protection
Of course, such a variety of flora and fauna attracts not only decent tourists, but also unscrupulous poachers who, for the sake of personal gain, out of thirst for profit, will not think about the uniqueness of the ecosystem and, with their predatory actions, can cause irreparable damage. In order to preserve nature and ensure the normal natural functioning of the ecosystem, Lake Kravtsovo and the surrounding area in 1997 acquired the status of a state nature reserve of regional significance. In the reserve "Kravtsovo Lake" prohibited the passage of cars on its territory, collecting plants, hunting and even swimming in water.
Mysterious Island
By the way, swimming here is also contraindicated for reasons related to personal safety. The fact is that there is a floating island on the surface of Kravtsov Lake in Stavropol. He calmly drifts on the surface of the reservoir, like a huge earthen raft. Many legends of Lake Kravtsov in Stavropol are connected with this island. Starting from the nineteenth century, when prisoners working on peat worked on the lake, a large number of people swallowed the pond. He swallowed and did not even return the body back. Most of the drowned were never found by either the locals or the rescuers. It was rumored that dark evil forces were involved, the locals gossiped about the mermaids that inhabited the lake. But the explanation for these sad facts is very prosaic.
The fact is that the floating island has no foundation, due to which it can change its location. Various water currents flow freely under the soil, dragging trash, logs, branches beneath the island ... and people who decide to swim in the lake and are caught in a stream directed towards the island. No one managed to swim a great distance under water and emerge on its other side, and it is unlikely that they will ever succeed. Therefore, it is better to take care of yourself and not risk your life, because the rest on Lake Kravtsov is good without dangerous swimming.