About 30 km of the Maros floodplain is protected, consisting of largely natural forests and groves. The Romanian side is also a protected area (Maros Floodplain Nature Park). Along the Maros, willow and poplar gallery forests and shrub willows are found. Common plants include common reed, dwarf bulrush, gray blackberry, woolly foxglove, elm-leaved blackberry, stinging nettle, and couch grass. The loess banks host the exceptionally rare long-eyed fly. Most native fish species are present in the river. Rare, protected endemic species include the sand goby, the velvety dace, Hungarian barbel, and German barbel. The stone loach and burbot are also found in the Maros. A characteristic mollusk is the Banat snail.