The National Retezat Park covers an area of 13, 000 ha. Established in 1935, this park has now the status of a ôreservation of the biosphere.ö This is due to the unique character of its natural background, which includes about a hundred glacier lakes, coniferous and leafy woods, and meadows that are home to more than 900 vegetal species and endangered species. A third of the vegetal species present here (e.g. edelweiss, rhododendron, wild service tree, etc.) are considered very rare and are part of a specific Carpathian flora of glacier origin. The fauna includes brown bears, wolves, foxes, lynxes, porcupines, eagles, black goats, etc.
