The buffalo reserve at Kis-Balaton (Little Lake) is located on the east side of Lake Balaton; and it is a protected territory since 1962. The waters southwest of Lake Balaton used to fall into the waters of the major Central European basin. Currently, nature lovers and animal lovers can enjoy a trip to single Central European Buffalo Reserve.
The buffalo reserve at Kis-Balaton is located on the southwest side of Lake Balaton, and it is easily accessible due to the close proximity to Nagykanizsa Letenuye and south shore highway E 71. To the south of the town Fenyvespuszta Balatonmagyaród, near the small town of Zalakaros a place of interest - «Bivaly-Reservat» – is situated. In order to study animals for several days you will need accommodation, fortunately Zalakaros offers a wide range of lodging options. The choices range from hotels of various categories to summer cottages and apartments.
The buffalo reserve at Kis-Balaton offers, one of the oldest breeds of Hungarian animals, the Indian water buffalo in its natural habitat. The animals named <<The first domestic cattle>>have been living for several centuries in the Hungarian Carpathian Basin. On the pastures next to the marshy area of the Kis-Balaton, they were breed for the first time in 1800 by the family of Earl Festetics. They served as domestic animals for milk and meat production. Today, the buffalo is a tourist attraction. They are among the last specimens of their kind; in the rest of Europe they are largely extinct. Because of the species, the region at Kis-Balaton since 1992 became the part of the Balaton Highlands National Park. Because of the Hungarian animal breeding program the number of buffalos increased from 16 to 200. Some of the animals were relocated to the other regions of the country because of the limited pasture land in the park. There are about 100 buffalo in the buffalo reserve at Kis-Balaton. The visitors to the Buffalo Reserve may also learn some facts about their history and the past of the region in addition to the observation of the animals. The exhibition center, opened in 2002 and the covering an area of about 120 hectares will tell a lot about the buffalos, as well as about the origin of species and the region.
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