Description
Czech nature is rich and diverse but also contains many vulnerable species. These species need an active protection. A document called an action plan contains guidelines for nature conservation authorities, researches and owners of land how to maintain endangered species populations. It is a special tool which provides complex knowledge about species and recommends the measures how to support the species. The project is about implementation of the measures. The Aeculapian Snake (Zamenis longissimus) is a specially protected species therefore the “Action Plan for Aeculapian Snake” was prepared in the year 2008. The project meets the target of the state environmental policy of the Czech Republic for 2012-2020. The main objective of the project is the implementation of the action plan by occurrency data research in the Poohří area, one of the three areas of the species occurrence, and verification of potential occurrence of species in southern Bohemia and Bílina area. The project outcomes are increasing of knowledge about species and its occurrence among locals and general public by filed consultancy and print of leaflet. Project will include part of publicity. The second outcome is to increase knowledge about species occurrence by verification of potential occurrence of species in southern Bohemia and Bílina area. The project outputs are all tools which presents the topic to the public (leaflet etc.) as well as the people who participated on project activities and found the knowledge about species and its protection. Project will also include compulsory part of publicity. The target group of the project is primarily a species and nature-conservation authorities. Secondarily, the protection and connected activities will carry out the awareness-raising in the general public via education.
Summary of project results
The action plan of Zamenis longissimus was approved in the year 2008. Besides practical measures such as building breeding grounds and habitats maintenance, some space is devoted to the research, monitoring, education and public awareness. The submitted project includes several measures in terms of monitoring, education and awareness focusing especially on the Poohří area in the Czech Republic. The positive relationship of the local people to Zamenis longissimus is a prerequisite for a long-term prosperity of the species. The field work was based on the collection of additional data on the occurrence of the Aesculapian snake in Poohří as an important part of monitoring. Data obtained from local residents and volunteers completed the information on the phenology or occurrence of the species in marginal areas. In villages and nearby settlements (Krásný Les, Rokle, Vojkovice, Jakubov, Damice, Perštejn, Lužný, Okounov, Krupice a Černýš, Mikulovice, Ciboušov) there were during errands from house to house approached residents to collect the following data: the occurrence of the species at present and in the past, evidence of the occurrence (exuvies, photos, videos, etc.), interests of the species behaviour (mating season, males fight, the occurrence in unusual areas, etc.) and the relationship of residents to snakes. Overall, one managed to collect 41 credible evidence of the Aesculapian snake occurrence in the Ústí region, which is the snake’s dominant area. These are: 1) reports from credible observers that we know personally and are confident their credibility 2) own findings 3) The findings made by local residents, which are documented in photos, by exuvies, or detailed snake description 4) published data, which of course we can only rely on the credibility of the author There are dozens more data, reporting the snake occurrence; however remain unsupported so far, and therefore are not mentioned.
Summary of bilateral results