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   Put under protection in 1932, the reservation is located 1 km south of the town of Murfatlar, on the left side of the Constanța - Ostrov road and occupies an area of ​​82.74 ha, being included in the Murfatlar forest, whose area is 771 ha.
   Since 1962, the reserve is protected by law and houses a number of rare species of plants and animals.

    With the arrival of spring, the steep coast is covered by the richness of the colors of the many flowers that can arouse the envy of any landscape painter. Thus, the spring brandy, the wild irises, the dedications, the wild hyacinths, the russets are a real delight for those who visit this reservation. In the valleys that cross the slope and that border a natural forest, violins and axes are among the first heralds of spring. In fact, from the “Fântânița” reservation, numerous new plants for science have been described, most of which bear the specific epithet, derived from the name of Murfatlar locality: ruscuța, colilia, violet thistles from Murfatlar. The woody vegetation on the valleys of the reservation is made up of downy oak, Balkan oak, brumariu oak, cârpinița, scumpia, jugastrul and Tartar maple. The multitude of studies undertaken led to the description in the territory of the reservation of about 515 species of plants, as well as numerous species of animals characteristic of the Dobrogea steppe areas. Among these we mention two species of ferret: the steppe ferret and the spotted ferret and a species of small rodent, the grivan. Also, the presence of the Dobrogean tortoise was reported, whose area of ​​spread in our country is limited to a few points in the Dobrogea steppe, especially on the forested streams of the reserve, as well as the river snake, the largest and fastest snake. from our fauna, along with numerous lizards that populate the sunny coast in the center of the reservation. Among the birds we can see a close relative of the bustard, but much smaller, protected by law: the lizard. Among the many species of invertebrates, we mention first of all the presence of two species of snails resistant to the summer heat of the Dobrogea steppe: zebrine detritus and helicella candicans.
    The numerous floristic species and the landscape value of the area make this reservation an important point of attraction for tourists.

   In the forest area there are the following types of oak: summer oak, blagun oak, Carpinus Orientalis, acacia, Gleditschia Triacanthos, Quercus Pubescens, Fraxinus Ornus, silver lime, etc. Common to this species are red oak, winter oak, summer oak. Other common tree species are: Gleditschia Triacantho, mountain ash, maple, silver lime. Also hornbeam, Carpinus Betulus, elm, Fraxinus Ornus, birch, walnut, wild plum, cherry, hair, mulberry, various poplars and acacias. Some trees are not spread over large areas, such as: bat, apricot, laburnum, Acer Tataricum, Sophora, Corylus Colurna, Sorbus Torminalis, Ailanthus Altissima, Aesculus Hippocastanum.

   Qurcus Robur (Fluffy Oak) is a deciduous tree that is part of the Fagaceae family. The trunk is straight and up to 50 m high, the bark is deep, blackish-brown. The crown is broad, with vigorous branches. The fruit is an acorn, brownish-yellow. It lives up to 500-600 years, exceptionally it reaches 2000 years.

Acer Campestre (jugaster) is a shorter tree (15 m), has leaves with 5 (3) toothless and small lobes. The disamaras have the wings in a straight line, so that they form an angle of 180 ° between them. Produces hardwood, used in carts and tool handles, agricultural tools, etc.

Acer Tataricum (Tartar Maple) is a short tree, part of the aceraceae family, up to 10 m tall, with smooth, dark gray bark. The trunk has a diameter of 30 cm, with a gray-brown bark. The leaves are wide and oval, with a length of 7 - 12 cm. Winged fruits, red - purple.

Cotinus Coggygria (Scumpia) is a large shrub, with alternating, oval and long leaves with a straight edge. The flowers are grouped in panicles, are yellow-gray and appear fluffy, giving the appearance of smoke around the plant. The plant blooms in June.

Adonis Vernalis (Spring Beetle) is a beautiful, bright yellow flower that always blooms around Easter. It is said that these flowers were born from the tears of Christ crucified. Another legend, much older, related to the Latin name of the flower - Adonis Vernali - recalls the Greek Adonis, a handsome hunter who fell in love with Aphrodite. Ares, the god of war, also in love with the goddess of beauty, kidnaps him, but the beautiful Adonis turns into a plant, the beetle, which blooms from March to April.

Amygdalus Nana (Dwarf Almond) is a shrub up to 1.5 m tall. The flowers are pink, bloom from April to May, and the fruits are red.

Ranunculus Illyricus (Rooster's Foot) is a medium-sized perennial plant (20-60 cm, depending on the soil). The name comes from the appearance of the flower: the branched and thickened root resembles a rooster's claw. The flower is differently colored, depending on the species: red, pink, orange, but they are usually bright yellow. It blooms in stages, from May to the beginning of July.

Carduus Nutans (Thistle) is a plant widespread in our lands. It has a great ability to protect the body and help it cope with toxins and poisons. It is a thorny plant that grows in dry pastures, uncultivated places, on roadsides and in fields.

Carpinus Orientalis (Cărpiniţa) is an indigenous shrub that rarely exceeds 5 m, similar to the hornbeam but much smaller. The bark is smooth, gray, and the leaves are oval and small. It forms bushes on the sunny coasts together with the fluffy oak, the Turkish cherry, the mojdrean, the scumpia. He has a light temperament.

Jasminum Fruticans (Wild Jasmine). In the symbolic language of flowers, jasmine is associated with grace, love and kindness because it spreads its fragrance so generously. Wild jasmine grows in the form of a small shrub, with angular branches, slightly bent leaves and yellow flowers, pleasantly fragrant.

Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) is a vigorous shrub with numerous stems, with strong thorns, leaves with 5 leaflets, white flowers. It has healing qualities and pharmaceutical actions.

Pulsatilla Vulgaris (Little Finger) grows spontaneously in the meadows of plains, hills or mountains, blooms in spring in March-April, in bunches, never solitary. The more beautiful and limp it is, the more toxic it is; it is not used for internal use except in well-dosed phytotherapeutic preparations, homeopathic or for external use. The aerial part of the plant is harvested for therapeutic purposes. Popular names: Easter flower, cat, soul, wind grass, fish flower.

Paeonia Tenuifolia (Steppe Peony) is a herbaceous, perennial, rare and protected plant. It blooms from the second half of April until the end of May. It belongs to the Paeoniaceae family.

Scilla Bifalia (Violin) is the most famous and beloved flower. It belongs to the Violaceae family. The distinct characteristic of the violins is the flowers formed by a maximum of 5 segments, located at the end of the long vine. The predominant colors of the violins are white, purple and yellow.

Satureja Hortensus (Thyme) is a perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family. It does not reach more than 20-30 cm in height. Thyme flowers are small and pale white or pink. Thyme is similar in appearance to rosemary. It is used in various culinary preparations.

Scutellaria Lateriflora (Wolf's Mouth) is used in empirical medicine to treat seizures, combat hysteria and anxiety. Due to its calming effects on the nervous and muscular system, it was used in folk medicine to treat rabies, hence the name "rabid dog weed". It is part of the mint family and is used therapeutically.

Ajuga Chamaepitys is a species of flowering plant in the Lamiaceae family. Known as the field incense, the plant has the same characteristics and properties as Ajuga Reptans. Ajuga Chamaepitys can be found in Europe, the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.

Ajuga Reptans (Vineţica) is a herbaceous plant with flowers native to Europe. This plant is often used as an ornamental plant.

Hyacinthella Leucophaea (wild hyacinth). It is a species of plant, with bell-shaped flowers, of a pale blue, almost white, with a shade of blue. They are grouped together at the top, on a relatively small length, looking as strange as it is attractive. The wild hyacinth has a small stature, only 15 cm high.

Cornus Mas (Horn) is a species that comes from Southern Europe and Southwest Asia. It is a shrub with medium to large or small size, which has a height of 5-12 m, with dark brown branches and greenish branches. The leaves are 4-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide, elongated oval in shape, with entire edges. The flowers are small (5-10 mm in diameter), with four yellow petals, in groups of 10-25, appearing at the end of winter, long before the leaves. The fruit is an elongated red drupe (2 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter), which contains a single seed.

Crocus Sativus (autumn saffron) is a Mediterranean plant from which saffron spice, aromatic oils, as well as many other substances with uses in medicine and food can be extracted. Saffron is a herbaceous, perennial, cultivated plant, which can reach 30-40 cm in height. Its leaves are long and narrow. Its fruits are small and white. The flowers are purple, with purple lines. It grows from underground stems (rhizomes) and belongs to the species Crocus.

Dianthus Leptopetalu (carnation). Relative to the carnation, the carnation is a beautiful flower, which we find in the Romanian garden in almost all colors (white, red, purple, pink, etc.).

The Fântâniţa Reservation stretches on a steep coast, crossed by narrow and shallow valleys and houses over 500 species of plants, characteristic of the southern area of ​​Dobrogea, predominating the Pontic elements, followed by the Balkan, continental, sub-Mediterranean and Eurasian. The fauna contains numerous species of animals characteristic of the Dobrogea steppe areas.
The remarkable value of the site is given by the presence of internationally protected ornithofauna species, of sub-Mediterranean, Balkan and Pontic species of mammals and reptiles and of invertebrate species, especially lepidoptera of maximum value.

Erithacus Rubecula (macaque, red goose). The plumage of both sexes is brown with a rusty spot on the chest. It nests in holes under fallen banks or trunks. The nest contains 5-6 blue eggs, stained with rust; the female hatches alone for 13-14 days. In winter they are often heard singing in the places where they settled.

Sturnus Vulgaris (starling). The body color is black, with lighter borders on the back feathers and intense green and purple reflections on the head and chest. It nests in hollows, but also in wall holes, roof reeds, concrete pillars. The egg, laid in April, consists of 5-7 light blue eggs, whose incubation of 13-14 days is performed by both partners. I also raise two generations of chickens per season. Populations in the northern part of the area retreat in winter to southwestern Europe. Large flocks are also found in winter, especially in the southeast of the country, especially as birds from the north. Imitate the songs of other birds.

Cuculus Canorus (Cucul). Cuckoos are part of the Cuculidae family, resembling sparrows. They are slender, medium-sized birds. They feed on insects, insect larvae, but also on fruit. Many species lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, but most cuckoos raise their young on their own.

Accipiter Gentilis (oil pigeon). It has a length of 50-60 cm. He is a medium-sized kidnapper. The color of the plumage is brown-gray on the back, the chest being light brown with dark transverse stripes. It attacks small birds and mammals. The nest contains 3-5 blue-white eggs. Hatching is carried out mostly by the female for 35-38 days. The male supplies her with food. They attack premeditatedly, using very different tactics, depending on their prey or where they are.

Accipiter Nisus (bird's eye). It is a rare species of hatching bird. The male has dark gray plumage and the female is brown. On the chest, the male has reddish transverse stripes and the female is brown. The clutch contains 3-5 whitish eggs, spotted with brown, being laid in May. Hatching is performed more by the female and lasts 32-35 days. It resembles the short-legged hawk, but differs from it especially in the color of the iris, which is yellow and not orange.

Pica Pica (cótofana). The hood has black plumage, with white on the shoulders and chest, and the tail is black with greenish reflections. Strictly sedentary, it makes a spherical nest, made of thorns, with lateral entrances, upholstered inside with clay. The eggs, 5-7 in number, are laid in April, have a green color and are spotted with brown. The female hatches them alone, about 17-18 days.

Turdus Merula (blackbird, blackbird). It has a length of 27 cm. The male is black, the female dark brown. It nests at low ground height, in bushes, groves; it also uses clay to build the nest. The complete tip has been found since April, especially among the populations in the city parks. The 4-5 bluish-green eggs, sprinkled with brown, are hatched by the female for 14-15 days. In summer, 2-3 rows of chickens appear.

Upupa Epops (Pupăza). It is also popularly called the Armenian cuckoo. It has a length of 28 cm. As a distinctive sign it has a ridge in the top of its head made of orange and black feathers at the top. The wings are striped black and white, and the rest of the body is yellow-orange. The pupa makes its nest in holes that it does not line. The female lays up to 8 eggs, and the incubation period is 16 days. The chicks come out one by one and are fed by both parents.

Perdix Perdix (partridge). The color is light brown, with a gray neck and goiter. On the white of the chest, there is a dark brown spot, more pronounced in the male. It nests in grass, on the ground; green-yellow or olive-brown eggs, 10-20 in number, are laid in May and are hatched only by females. Although sedentary, in the absence of food, the partridge wanders from one place to another.

Ablepharus Kitaibelii (small lizard). Total length 8-12 cm, of which the tail 5-7 cm. Legs short and thin, ear hole obvious. Body scales, smooth, very wide. It is very agile, hard to see and catch. He walks and runs in lateral movements of his torso and tail. It is especially active in the early hours of the morning and before sunset. The female lays up to 15 eggs. In captivity it tames quite easily, it feeds on earthworms, flies, spiders.

Apodemus Sylvaticus (forest mouse). Hind paw 20-25 mm; tail with 120-170 scaly rings, weight 18-25 g. Abdomen and legs white. The back more or less reddish, on the chest, a yellow spot, more or less obvious. He climbed trees well. It generally feeds on seeds, wild fruits and less often on cereal grains. They dig 30-50 (70) cm deep galleries, especially under the roots of trees and shrubs. The female gives birth to 4-6 chicks, 3-4 times a year.

Lepus Europaeus (hare). Head and torso 600-700 mm; tail 75-100 mm; hind paw 135-150 mm; ear 120-140 mm; skull 85-95 mm; weight 3-5 kg. The back is brownish-yellow, stained with black. Whitish abdomen. Yellow-brown neck. The tail, above, dark gray with the appearance of a black spot, white below.

Erinaceus Europaeus (the hedgehog). Body length 220-300 mm; tail 20-45 mm; hind paw 40-45 mm; skull 55-65 mm. Thick and short body. Wide ears. Small black eyes. Face whitish-whitish or reddish-yellow. Spikes at the tip and middle, dark brown, and otherwise yellowish. The female is slightly larger than the male, with sharper mustaches, a stronger body, a lighter and grayer color. Chicks at birth with whitish spines. It hibernates from autumn to March. The adult female gives birth to 3-8 young chicks after 3 weeks. It brings real services to agriculture, destroying a large number of insects, worms and smallpox.

Spermophilus citellus (poplar). Head and torso 180-230 mm; tail 50-70 mm; ear 10 mm; hind paw 35-40 mm; weight 240-340 g. Head more or less round, with small ears. White lips, chin and neck. Forehead and head with a mixture of reddish-yellow and brown. Mustaches and nails are black. They dig 30-40 long galleries, sometimes 150 m deep, where they gather supplies for the winter. In summer it feeds on all kinds of seeds, roots, cereals, rarely consumes animal feed. Propagation, spring (March-April). The female gives birth once or twice a year, 3-8 chicks.

Vormela Peregusna (spotted ferret). Head and torso 32-38 cm; tail (without terminal brushes) 15-20 cm; hind sole (without claws) 4-5 cm. Bushy tail; ears fairly large and rounded at the tip, on white edges. Dark red head. Above the eyes a white transverse stripe. On the sides of the mouth white. Black abdomen. Gray tail. It is typical of the steppe, avoiding the plowed places, rarely found in river valleys, in addition to human settlements, through gardens, barns, rows of straw. He digs his lair, often using galleries. It feeds on rodents, birds, lizards; summer more with popcorn. Mating, through March. The female, after 8 weeks, gives birth to 4-8 pups.

Mustela Eversmanni (steppe ferret). Head and torso 35-38 cm; tail 12-16 cm; weight 0.7-1.3 kg. Mustela putorius-like species, but with lighter fur. The back is brownish-yellow; slightly dark abdomen. A darker spot under his eyes. Widespread in eastern Europe and western Asia; prefers the steppe. Known in our country only in Dobrogea.

Mesocricetus Newtoni (grivanul). It is found only in Dobrogea.

TALPA EUROPEA (Meriţa, Sobol). Body length 125-150 mm; 25-28 mm tail; the posterior paw 15-19 mm; Skull 30-38 mm. Short, thick, cylindrical body. The eyes, black-ebony, confuses with the color of the fur, small as a grain of Mac. Short tail. Hair in general dark brown with bluish or white reflexes. Some specimens are black with white spots and very rare cases of albinism. He lives only in the underground, in a complicated gallery, which is recognized apart through the earth.

Splax leucodon (the orbetices). The body has a length of 18-27 cm and weight of 140-220 g. It is covered with a dense, silky, gray-red bracket. The legs, very small compared to the body, are provided with strong nails, adapted for digging. It is perfectly adapted to underground life, living almost exclusively in its galleries. Each individual digs his own and complicated network of galleries. Chicken nest has a diameter of about 30 cm and is lined with herbs. For digging galleries, uses claws and teeth. It feeds exclusively with herbs and roots. Spring takes place mating, occasionally leaving the soil surface, especially males. Remove a single generation of 2-4 chicks a year. The rest of the time lives solitary. It appears on the food list of fox, dihor and night raiders.

Coloft Jugularis (bad serpent). Neventive, with cobra attitudes, useful in the biological combat of field rodents.

TESTUDO GRAECA (Dobro-Dry Turtle). Length 15-27 cm. Males are distinguished by females through the longer and louder tail, by the size of the posterior hollowness of the plastron, through very bulging super supracodal soil. The yellowish-dark, uniform or olive caravel, each plate being bounded by black, irregular spots. She prefers dry land with rich bushes of silvosteps, being warm-loving. It feeds on vegetals, roots, earthworms. The females deposit, through May-June, 4-12 spherical, white eggs, which are airfront in 70-80 days. It behaves well in captivity. Lives 90-125 years. It is protected by law and declared a monument of nature.

Zebrina Detrita is a slick species, a terrestrial gastropod mollusc in the Enidae family.

Carpocoris Mediterraneus is an insect species in the Pentatomidae family. This is widespread in the Mediterranean area. It is a polyphag vegetarian.

Ephesia Fulmina (Moth). NOCTUIDAE FAMILY. This family is the largest in the Lepidoptera group and has about 20,000 species. Most moths are from gray to brown, with lines or stains on their wings. Some species are brightly colored. Their size varies, and most species are medium size, with 2-4.5 cm wings. When at rest, most adult species hold their wings above the body as a roof. They are usually nocture, although some species are diurnal. Most larvae feeds with dead leaves, lichens, mushrooms, many of which are pests.

Acrotylus Insubarcus. It is one of the greatest insects, devouring daily a quantity of food equal to its weight. Adults weigh 2-3 grams, and the length does not exceed 50 mm.