Animal species protection

Considering the necessity of retaining the population of the variety of animal species in good condition the Magura National Park is taking protection activities towards the variety of groups and individual fauna species.

Insects
1. To provide rare insect species connected with dead wood such as Rosalia alpina with places for breeding, beech wood is being left in sunny places.
2. To improve the living conditions of the Clouded Apollo in the area of its occurrence a meadow of the area of 0,5 ha is being mown and self-seeders of willow, birch and hazel are being removed.

Rosalia alpina (phot. Slawomir Basista)

Amphibians
1. The active protection of the migrating amphibians was practised during the spring migration period in the area of the so-called Maly Lasek near Nowy Zmigrod village.
The amphibians’ migration route is being cut here by the busy road, which led to enormous mortality rate of these animals on the road each year. Starting with the year 2005 the Magura NP secures a road section where the most of animals were being killed. Along the road nets are being put up and behind them buckets are being sunk into the ground. Amphibians, mainly Common Toads, fall into the buckets and then they are being carried to the other side of the road. In 2005 the MNP employees were able to carry about 1760 amphibians and in 2006 - 5700 amphibians. Since 2006 the secondary school children from Nowy Zmigrod help in such works the MNP employees.
2. Small pounds – places for amphibians to breed
Regarding the small amount of natural, small water bodies in the area of the Park, small pounds are being created successively. They are a precious breeding places for the newts, toads and frogs. Some of the ponds are being settled by all Polish species of newts.

Carpatian Newt (phot. Agnieszka and Damian Nowak)

Reptiles
In the area of the MNP branches and timber waste are being left to provide places for lizards and snakes to breed and to their winter sleep.

Birds
Birds of prey
1. Meadows’ mowing
In order to keep convenient hunting grounds for birds of prey (Lesser Spotted Eagle, Golden Eagle and Buzzard) every year the majority of the opened surfaces of the MNP is being mown. The mowing protects meadows against the natural ecological succession, and the low grass in the period of bringing up nestlings allows the adult birds the access to rodents. Meadows are being mown in stripes – some stripes are being left without mowing, which ensures the shelter for the animals living there.
2.Stricktly protected zones
Around the nesting places of Lesser Spotted Eagles and Golden Eagles the strictly protected zones are being created. There are 26 zones of that kind in the Park.

Black Stork
In the area of the MNP 6 strictly protected zones for Black Storks were founded.

Common Buzzard (phot. Agnieszka and Damian Nowak)

Mammals
In the area of breeding of some precious species of mammals (e.g. Wolf, Brown Bear) special animals’ refuges are being founded. That is to ensure peace and security for animals living there. In the Park’s territory 2 conservation zones for Wolf and 1 for Brown Bear were founded.