County: Alytus Municipality: Varėna distr. Latitude Longitude 54º 01' N 24º 32' E

Physical - geographical features

The strict nature reserve is situated in the largest Lithuanian woods. The main part of the strict nature reserve is occupied by the Cepkeliai mire - the biggest (5858 ha) raised bog in the country. The mire stretches north-east - south-west direction almost for 14 km. From the north and west it is surrounded by the continental dunes overgrown with pine forest. Here the strict nature reserve borders upon the Dzukija National Park. In the south the Katra River marks the boundary of the mire as well as the border of the strict nature reserve and the state border with Byelorussia.

Formation of the Cepkeliai mire started at the end of glacial period, approximately 11 thousand years ago. The mire extends on the bed of post-glacial lagoon. 9 thousand years ago in the conditions of dry climate the wind drifted the sands of the shores into the continental dunes, which isolated the lower plain of the lagoon. Increased level of the ground water and the later period of humid climate induced the process of mire formation. Nowadays peat layer thickness in the cupola of the bog reaches 5 - 6 m. North-eastern and eastern borders of the mire are very sinuous. In the center and southern part of the mire there are plenty of mineral soil islands overgrown with old woods. These are the crests of the continental dunes. Water surplus from the Cepkeliai mire flows down through the main three paths: the small Pekla river into the Ula River, down the small Musteika river into the Gruda River and down the artificial canal into the Katra River. In the eastern part of the mire there are concentrated small lakes, the largest of which is 15 hectares lake Eserinis.

Biological diversity

The Cepkeliai strict nature reserve is notable for neighbouring steppe and tundra plant communities. In the raised bog prevails peat-moss, abundant shrubbery: marsh tea, heath and cranberry. There grow scanty pine trees, birches. Some sites preserved large open wilderness. In the surrounding continental dunes prevail ripe pinewood abundant of lichens. In the islands and on the northern slopes of the dunes, as well as in the plains and hollows prevail pinewoods with the green moss cover and shrubbery: heath, bilberries, and red bilberries.

Specific natural conditions determined great variety of rare plants. Here one can find plants that are characteristic for mire: Lepidotis inundata, Dactylorhiza maculata, Salix lapponum; for broad-leaved forests: Cypripedium calceolus, Botrychium virginianum; for sands: Arnica montana, Silene lithuanica, Pulsatilla patens.

There are also found not a few of rare insects, amphibians and reptiles in the strict nature reserve. Very common here is the only venomous snake in the country - adder (Vipera berus), and grass-snake (Natrix natrix). There is also one of two found in the country Sites of - smooth snake (Coronella austriaca).

There is a great variety of birds. The Cepkeliai preserved the largest in Lithuania populations of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), crane (Grus grus), great snipe (Gallinago media). There lives short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus), great eagle - owl (Bubo bubo) and few other species which are nearly extinct in other places in the country and such internationally protected species like: black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix), corncrake (Crex crex), black stork (Ciconia nigra), Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus), three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), white-backed woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) are considered to be common in the Cepkeliai.

The strict nature reserve, hidden in the forests and safe from frequent disturbance, is one of the main winter pastures for moose (Alces alces). Wolf (Canis lupus), lynx (Lynx lynx), otter (Lutra lutra) and numerous beavers (Castor fiber) are also permanent residents of this site.