Arkutino (The Bear Marsh)

Arkutino, or the Bear Marsh, is a swamp-lagoon in the Burgas region, Primorsko municipality, about 2.5 km northwest of the mouth of the Ropotamo River. The swamp is part of the Ropotamo Reserve. It is separated by sand from the sea through dunes, as the sandy lily grows on the beach. The beach opposite the swamp is also called Arkutino. Its area is 62.2 ha, it is deep 0.5 m, its salinity is 0.2 ‰.The bay also reveals a magnificent view of the island of St. Thomas, one of the places in Bulgaria where wildly growing cacti of the genus Opuntia are found. Only part of Arkutino's water surface is open, the rest is covered with dense water and marsh vegetation, represented by different types of water lens, marsh snowdrop, eagle head, rust. Here is one of the richest deposits of white and yellow water rose. Coastal areas are covered by reeds. The swamp dwells a rare fish-dwarf gambia. Arkutino is the main intermediate stop of the birds on the Via Pontica. Here are nesting rare bird species, protected by the law or included in the Red Book of Bulgaria - heron, mute swan, owl, etc. (Text / Photo: bg.wikipedia.org)