On Sunday, 14 May, the Donau-Auen National Park in Austria once again invited visitors to its popular spring Family Festival, this year's motto was "Mother's Day in the Animal Kingdom". Due to the forecast rainfall, all rooms in the schlossORTH National Park Centre were used, from the foyer and event hall to the kingfisher room and the wedding room. Tents were set up in the tournament courtyard for additional stations, and the castle island tours were also very popular with weatherproof families despite the rain.
The LIFE WILDisland also had a special corner at the festival, where visitors could learn more about the importance of untouched natural islands and the fascinating species and habitats they host. The visitors were invited to find the well-hidden eggs of the Little Ringed Plover as one of the most representative species of the natural gravel banks of the Upper Danube. Our younger guests could help the birds hide their eggs, painting them.
The festival was visited by the National Park Director Edith Klauser and Mayor Elisabeth Wagnes, Orth/Donau, who stopped by at every station to discover not only the gravel-breeding bird species, but also more on the lives of Imperial Eagle, Beaver, European pond turtle, snakes, wild bees and 'trees as parents'. The team of national park rangers had prepared an exciting set of information, nature exploration, games and handicrafts for young and old.
As a cooperation partner, Familienland NÖ also ran an activity station. Other activities included ranger shows, guided tours of the National Park exhibitions, museumORTH and the Orth spiral staircase, live music, gastronomy and a prize draw.
