Baba Mountain (Macedonia)

Baba Mountain
Pelister , Varnoundas

Part of Baba mountain with its peak Pelister in the backdrop
Highest point
Elevation 2,601 m (8,533 ft)[1]
Prominence 1,516 m (4,974 ft)[1]
Listing Ultra
Coordinates 41°00′13″N 21°11′12″E / 41.00361°N 21.18667°E / 41.00361; 21.18667Coordinates: 41°00′13″N 21°11′12″E / 41.00361°N 21.18667°E / 41.00361; 21.18667[1]
Geography
Baba Mountain
Macedonia
Location Bitola Municipality, Pelagonia, Macedonia

Baba Mountain (Macedonian: Баба Планина/Baba Planina) or Varnoundas (Greek: Βαρνούντας/Varnoundas), or also known by the name of its highest peak, Peristeri / Pelister (Greek: Περιστέρι/Peristeri), is a mountain in Macedonia and partly in Greece. The Pelister (peak (2601 metres, or 8533 feet) overlooks the city of Bitola. Baba Mountain is the third highest mountain in the Republic of Macedonia. Other peaks besides Pelister are Dva Groba (2514 metres), Veternica (2420 metres), Musa (2350 metres), Rzana (2334 meters), Shiroka (2218 metres), Kozji Kamen (2199 metres), Griva (2198 metres) and Golema Chuka (2188 metres) in the Republic of Macedonia, and Belavoda (2.179 meters), Kirko (2.155 meters) in Greece. The Baba massif splits up the rivers in the region, so that they either flow towards the Adriatic or the Aegean sea.

Pelister National Park's flora include the five-needle pine molica (Pinus peuce) - a unique species of tertiary age being present on only a few mountains in the Balkan Peninsula. Fauna in the area include: bears, roe deer, wolves, chamois, deer, wild boars, rabbits, several species of eagles, partridges, redbilled jackdaws, and the endemic Macedonian Pelagonia trout. In a comprehensive article published in 2002, Melovski and Godes reported that there are three large carnivores in the republic of Macedonia which can be found in Baba Mountain and surrounds, the brown bear, the wolf and the lynx. Actual numbers at that time were difficult to estimate given that most reports came from non-scientific sources (surveys, hunters and anecdotal reports), however in 2002, it was estimated there were approximately 30 bears in N.P. Pelister and Galicica N.P hosting only 3-4. A larger number could apparently be found in the N.P Mavrovo. The numbers however may be significantly larger in today's climate given the protected status of bears in Macedonia. In terms of wolves, there was an estimated total of 1200 wolves in the entire country of Macedonia, with an estimated 54 lynx when the article was written.

Bitola from Pelister

Pelister is the oldest and second largest national park in Republic of Macedonia after Mavrovo. It is one of the leading tourist areas in the country, since it is a well-known ski resort, along with Ohrid, Prespa, Dojran, Popova Šapka, and Kruševo.

Pelister provides views of the Pelagonia valley, Lake Prespa, Nidže, Galičica, Jakupica, and the city of Bitola. Pelister is also one of the most southern mountains in the Balkans that has an alpine character.

Pelister is also known for its two mountain lakes, which are called Pelister's Eyes. The Big lake is 2,218 metres above the sea level while the Small lake is 2,180 metres high. Here are the sources of many rivers. The climate in Pelister National Park is diverse.

On the peaks, there is snow even in July, and in some places the new snow meets the old from previous years.

On Pelister mountain, there is a TV transmitter using an additionally guyed lattice steel mast as antenna tower.

Pelister

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Europe Ultra-Prominences" Listed here as "Pelister". Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2012-02-18.

http://www.catsg.org/balkanlynx/02_status/2_1_situation-countries/fyr-macedonia/Pdfs/Melovski_&_Godes_2002_Large_carnivores_in_the_Republic_of_Macedonia_Arcturos_report.pdf

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baba Mountain.

http://www.catsg.org/balkanlynx/02_status/2_1_situation-countries/fyr-macedonia/Pdfs/Hristovski_&_Angelovski_2004_FYR_Macedonia_in_Eurasian_lynx_status_report.pdf

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