Đurđevački Peski, Botanical reserve in Đurđevac, Croatia

Đurđevački Peski is a protected botanical reserve in the eastern part of Đurđevac, covering about 20 hectares of partially stabilized sand dunes. A pale sandy path runs through low scrub, with a dark wooden sign frame on two posts beside it. The sands lie on the left bank of the Drava, not the right.

The sands are wind-blown deposits left by the Drava, not glacial till. In 1963 about 20 hectares were declared a geographical and botanical reserve to protect the endemic flora and the remaining dunes. The industrialist Emanuel Braun later funded afforestation of the sands.

Locals call the sands 'Croatian Sahara' and 'Bloody Sands' (Krvavi peski). The district of Peski, home to about 2,200 people, takes its name from this desert and is separated from the rest of Đurđevac by the Čivićevec stream.

The reserve has marked walking paths across the terrain for viewing the rare plants and natural dune formations at your own pace. It is best to wear comfortable shoes as the sandy ground can be uneven and shifting in places.

The reserve is home to around 30 butterfly species and numerous plants found only in this region, each having developed specific adaptations for sandy-soil living. These species represent a truly one-of-a-kind gathering of desert-adapted life.