Grădiştea Natural Park Cioclovina Muncelului
Local name: Parcul Natural Grădiştea Muncelului Cioclovina
The nature park is a protected area of national importance. It includes forests, mountain peaks, pastures, meadows and ravines in the Şureanu Mountains. There are several strictly protected nature reserves and archaeological sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including Sarmizegetusa Regia, Costești and the ethnographic settlement of Luncani.
The park was established to protect and preserve characteristic landscapes and biodiversity. It has been included in the European Natura 2000 network.
Many species of animals live in the park, including some protected and inscribed on the Red List of Threatened Species. Here you can meet bears, wolves, boars, deer, foxes, lynxes and several species of bats. There are also hawks, woodpeckers, gadgets, cuckoos and nightingales. Among the reptiles and amphibians you can come across lizards and newts.