More than a hundred of the critically endangered river crayfish and about 300 red bream, which are on the Red List of Threatened Species, were planted by scientists from the Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice in the Na Flekačkách pond in Semice near Písek.
"This rescue programme enables the creation of new sites for the protection of the river crayfish gene pool and thus the protection of selected populations for the future. It aims, among other things, to preserve the original population of river crayfish threatened by crayfish plague and invasive crayfish species," said Jan Kubec from the Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters USB.
At the same time as the crayfish, the scientists planted several hundred common bream into the Na Flekačkách pond. This is a native fish species which, like the river crayfish, is threatened by invasive species. The crucian carp, originally a common inhabitant of domestic waters, has been displaced by intensive fish species, especially the silver carp and the eastern silverside.
Invasive species of fish and crayfish threaten native populations through their aggressiveness and transmission of crayfish plague. Therefore, experts from the Department of Environment in cooperation with the faculty are looking for other suitable locations for their protection. One of them is the Na Flekačkách pond, which has become part of the species protection programme. Other sites in Písek include the Šácha, Nový, Pod Vojtíškem and U Sud ponds.
The current rector of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Pavel Kozák, who has been involved in the protection and reintroduction of crayfish in Písek for a long time, was at the origin of the whole programme for the protection of river crayfish and spoke about the topic on Český rozhlas Plus (from 17th minute).
Original article here.
Photo: jcted.cz
