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Slikovnica "Čigre prijatelji u nevolji"/Little tern booklet

WWF Adria and BIOM mark the end of the Year of the Tern

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Zagreb – The two non-governmental organizations WWF Adria and BIOM within the 2018 Year of the Tern and within the framework of their separate EU projects have carried out a number of activities focused on education and protection of the tern populations and their habitats in Croatia.

At the beginning of 2018 BIOM set up a floating nesting platform at Lake Siromaja 2 near Rugvica. In addition, 17 birds were marked with GPS-UHF devices to investigate their movement and use of habitats. Prior to the arrival of the terns in spring the gravel bars were cleaned and prepared for nesting.

A seven day training camp for the school children called “Our Drava” was held in June near Drava river in Varaždin county. Representatives of WWF Adria held a workshop on the importance of river birds and their habitats, with a special emphasis on Little terns (Sternula albifrons) and Sand martins (Riparia riparia). The students had the opportunity to learn about the species, flora and fauna on Drava river, habitats and their importance for the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems.

In autumn BIOM organized several volunteer actions called “Č-igranje” on Rakitje lake near Zagreb, where gravel bars have been cleaned for the arrival of the terns next year. The bars were cleaned of new-grown vegetation and covered with 50 cubic meters of gravel. On the lakes Rakitje and Siromaja 2, information boards were placed to inform and warn the locals and other recreationists not to disturb the birds when they are nesting.

During September and October over 8,000 people joined the #ProtectRiverBirds digital campaign over a period of 3 weeks. The purpose of the social media campaign was to raise awareness on the importance of protecting river birds and their habitats. The campaign was launched by WWF Adria in cooperation with BIOM and supported by numerous organizations, civil initiatives and institutions like Hrvatske vode, Public Institution of Međimurje County, Nature Parks Lonjsko Polje and Kopački rit, non-governmental organizations Zeus-Senjar, Green Osijek, Croatian Society for Bird and Nature Protection, BED – Brodsko ekološko društvo, LUMEN Association, Rafting Club Matis Varazdin, Art Center Jeskovo, Dravska priča, and many other individuals, scientists, biologists, artists and nature lovers.

“The improvement of river dynamics as well as conservation efforts and protection of the last breeding pairs of Little tern on Drava river is highly important for the whole DRAVA LIFE – Integrated river management project. We need to raise awareness and inform the local population not to disturb the birds on the Drava river during the nesting period. Some of the last natural habitats can be found on the 50 km long strech of the Drava river in Koprivnica-Križevci County”, added Branka Španiček from WWF Adria.

 

In December WWF Adria published 2 publications, a children’s booklet called “Čigre, prijatelji u nevolji” and a 3D cut-out mobile of the Little tern. Several educational workshops for schoolchildren were organized in schools and kindergardens at the end of the year where children got their copy before the holidays.

The common and Little tern are strictly protected birds in Croatia under the Nature Protection Act (OG 80/13) and the Ordinance on Strictly Protected Species (OG 144/13) and are listed in Annex 1 of the European Birds Directive. In the Red Book of Birds in Croatia, the nesting population of common tern is listed as an almost endangered species, while the Little tern is listed as threatened.

Common tern/Crvenokljuna čigra

 

Riječne ptice #ProtectRiverBirds/River Birds #ProtectRiverBirds

#ProtectRiverBirds campaign raised the awareness on the importance of protecting river birds and their habitats

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Zagreb – NGO’s WWF Adria and BIOM have successfully completed the campaign called #ProtectRiverBirds, with the aim to raise public awareness on the importance of protecting river birds and their habitats to conserve the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. The campaign was carried out over a period of 3 weeks and conducted through social media channels from 18th September to 14th October 2018 and successfully ended in the European Week of Bird Watching, which is marked in the first week of October. WWF Adria and BIOM together with nearly 20 partners marked the campaign as a part of the “2018 – Year of the Tern”. #ProtectRiverBirds campaign was supported by more than 8,000 people, several organizations, civil initiatives and institutions such as Croatian Waters, Public Institution of Međimurje County, Nature Parks  Lonjsko Polje and Kopački Rit, NGO Zeus-Senjar, NGO Green Osijek, Croatian Society for Bird and Nature Protection , BED – Brodsko Ekološko Društvo, NGO LUMEN, Rafting Club Matis Varaždin, Art Center Ješkovo, Dravska priča and many others.

The main goal of the campaign was to educate the wider public about the importance of the birds in the Drava River basin and the protection of their endangered habitats. The habitats are mostly endangered due to human activities that have negative impacts on the number of birds living in the wider Drava River basin. Populations of those birds has been drastically decreasing over the past decades. This also affects the biodiversity of the entire river basin, which is extremely important due to protection of the ecosystems we rely on to withstand rising threats such as climate change. River regulation, drainage of wetlands, construction of hydropower plants are examples of direct negative threats for the freshwater ecosystem and the birds that live in these habitats. Nevertheless, despite the threats, there are still suitable places for nesting of the river birds on the Drava River. The protection of such habitats is highly important.

To raise awareness on the importance of the protection of river birds and their habitats many organizations and institutions, as well as numerous individuals (scientists, biologists, artists, nature lovers) have participated in the #ProtectRiverBirds campaign. Main initiators of the campaign, NGO’s WWF Adria and BIOM are actively working to protect river birds and their habitats throughout two parallel projects, WWF Adria within the project “DRAVA LIFE – Integrated River Management”, and BIOM within the project “Conserving populations of terns in the Sava and Drava basin “.

Educational summer camp "Our Drava"/Ljetni edukacijski kamp "Naša Drava"
Educational summer camp "Our Drava"/Ljetni edukacijski kamp "Naša Drava"

Educational summer camp „Our Drava“ as part of the 2018 – Year of the Tern

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Varaždin – A seven days educational summer camp for students on benefits of the Drava River was organized by Association BIOM in Jalžabet near Varaždin from 24th till 30th June. 15 students from First Gymnasium Varaždin and few high schools from Ivanec participated at the „Our Drava“ educational camp. Students learned about the biodiversity of flora and fauna on the Drava River, species and habitats and their importance for the freshwater ecosystem. „Our Drava“ camp is the activity organized within the 2018 – Year of the Tern and within the Interreg Project „Conserving populations of terns in the Sava and Drava basin“ by BIOM.

During the camp students visited Ptuj lake in Slovenia, reservoirs of the hydropower plants Varaždin and Čakovec and the wider area of the Mura – Drava Regional Park where they were actively exploring the Drava River and learning about the plants and species of the area.

Educational summer camp “Our Drava”/Ljetni edukacijski kamp “Naša Drava”

In addition to other lecturers, Branka Španiček, from WWF Adria was also involved in the camp and held a lecture about the importance of river birds, especially little tern (Sternula hirundo) and sand martin (Riparia riparia). Migratory birds such as terns can be seen in smaller or larger flocks and they are mostly nesting on gravel islands and gravel bars in just few places in Croatia. They feed on fish, crabs, insects and molluscs.

Students also learned more about the EU project DRAVA LIFE and activities within the project such as the first reintroduction and repopulation of two pioneer riverine plants German tamarisk (Myricaria germanica) and dwarf cattail (Typha minima). The plants have gone extinct in their natural habitat along the river in Croatia; and were planted on gravel bars along Drava river in an effort to re-introduce them into the river system.

Non-governmental organizations WWF Adria and BIOM proclaimed 2018 as Year of the Tern. The two NGO’s are undertaking separate project activities in parallel throughout the year to protect terns and raise awareness on the importance of preserving their habitats along the Drava River.

The actions of WWF Adria are co-funded by the European Union under the DRAVA LIFE project LIFE 14 NAT/HR/000115 DRAVA LIFE;BIOM`activities are co-funded within their Interreg Project „Conserving populations of terns in the Sava and Drava Basin“.

To find out more news on educational summer camp „Our Drava“ click here : http://www.biom.hr/vijesti/edukacijski-kamp-nasa-drava/

Mala čigra/Little tern

2018 – Year of the Tern

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Zagreb, Croatia – Non-governmental organizations WWF Adria and Biom proclaimed 2018 as Year of the Tern. Both organizations, WWF and Biom, will carry out separate project activities in parallel throughout the year to protect terns and raise awareness on the importance of preserving their habitats along the Drava river. Activities within the DRAVA LIFE project WWF is a part of and of the Interreg Project Conserving populations of terns in the Sava and Drava basin BIOM is involved with, include actions for conservation of these birds habitat.

Terns are birds that can be found in almost all parts of the world, on seashores as well as on river banks, except the northern regions covered by eternal ice. Most of them are migratory birds that spend their winters in warmer southern regions. They are social and can be seen in smaller or larger flocks, nesting in colonies or individually on gravel islands, rock cliffs, sandy beaches, riverbeds, wetlands, while some of them also nest on trees. Their aerodynamic body allows them to swiftly dive through the air when hunting.

The little tern (Sternula albifrons) is the smallest species in the family of terns. It measures between 20 and 28 centimeters and weighs about 25 grams. Apart from its size and white head, it can be recognized by its yellow beak and orange legs. The common tern (Sterna hirundo) is larger, sized between 31-35 cm and weighing around 110-150 grams. Unlike little terns, common terns have red feet and a red beak with dark top and no white forehead. Both tern species are migratory birds that spend the winter season in Africa. They feed on fish, crabs, insects and molluscs.

Little terns have become extremely rare in Croatia. “Due to the constant disturbance, disappearance of suitable habitats and regulation of the river in the past, there are only four pairs of little tern left on the Drava river. In order to increase the number of pairs and to educate the local population, six information panels about the little tern were set up last year along the Drava river in Koprivnica-Križevci County. This is probably the only habitat for little terns on Drava in Croatia”, says Branka Španiček, project officer at WWF Adria.

Common tern/Crvenokljuna čigra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The nesting population of common terns is estimated to have 400 to 700 pairs in Croatia. Largest colonies are found on the Rakitje and Ormož lakes. “Measures undertaken on natural watercourses such as extraction of gravel out of the river bed, river bank regulation, construction of dams and hydropower plants, water pollution and various sports and recreation activities represent threats which endanger common terns. These activities endanger the success of their nesting. Terns are very often not able to find an adequate place for nesting in the area they inhabit due to the disturbing factors and large fluctuations of water level. Additional disadvantage is the fact that they are subject to predators such as mammals (rats, foxes and otters) and other birds (gulls and crows). This year Biom will protect a colony of common terns from predators on the lake Ormož for the first time by placing an electric fence“, says Biljana Ječmenica, expert associate for protection of nature at the environmental organization Biom.

Beside the need to protect the last nesting pairs of little and common terns and to prevent disturbance of the birds especially during the nesting season from mid-April to late July it is also necessary to restore river dynamics and to allow rivers to create new gravel and sand banks, the usual nesting habitats for these birds. Both projects therefore focus on jointly addressing these threats for both birds and their habitats.