At the mouth of the Neretva River, in Croatia, about two years ago, ornithologists spotted Dalmatian Pelican, which is considered an important event not only for the Neretva region, but also for entire Croatia, because this massive bird has almost become extinct in Croatia over last century, owing to very intense bird hunting and fishing as well as the extensive land reclamation. The State Institute for Nature Protection, said that in Croatia today five species of nesting birds have got extinct, and one of them is the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus).