Curonian Spit, Russia-Lithuania VR 360

The Curonian Spit, stretching along the coast of the Baltic Sea, is partly in Russia and partly in Lithuania, having a total length of 98 kilometers. The name of this sand and dune formation is associated with the ancient Kursh tribe, which inhabited these lands before the colonization of Prussia by German settlers. In 2000, the Spit was included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List due to its unique relief and diversity of flora and fauna. The width of this sandy strip varies from 400 to 3800 meters. The border between Russia and Lithuania runs along the 49th kilometer, if you count from Zelenogradsk (Kaliningrad Oblast). Both countries consider the Spit as a nature protection zone and a national park. The main part of its territory (72%) is occupied by forests, where about 600 species of trees, shrubs and plants grow. The animal world is inhabited by moose, roe deer, wild boars and foxes - a total of 296 species. However, the Curonian Spit is best known for its wealth of birds. This place is part of an ancient migration route, along which more than 150 bird species travel from the northern regions of Europe to warmer places. During the migration period about 1 million birds fly over the Spit, and 102 species choose this place for nesting. That is why the Curonian Spit has received the unofficial name “Bird Bridge”.