To preserve the long-term survival of habitats and wildlife, it is necessary to monitor their status. In protected areas, that is, biodiversity centres, rangers have excellent knowledge of specific ...locations and they spend a large amount of time in the field. But since rangers are not required to have a university degree, the question is whether they can be an added value in baseline survey monitoring. To investigate this issue, a case study was conducted in the Paklenica National Park (Paklenica NP), Croatia, using camera trapping survey between 2011 and 2016 at 22 camera sites. The aims of this survey were (1) to collect baseline data of mammalian diversity, (2) to analyse the regulatory effect of top predators on the trophic pyramid through top–down effects and (3) to estimate the data gathered by ranger service from the Paklenica NP. Data gathered through this study represents the first peer-reviewed list of medium- to large-sized mammals for Paklenica NP, as up till now, there is no peer-reviewed published paper of Paklenica NP mammalian diversity. Results showed that the recorded top predator–mesopredator–prey ratios were concordant with the trophic pyramid hypothesis. Also, as it was expected according to the literature, species richness indices were higher when top predators were present. On analysing the costs for conducting camera trapping survey by external and internal services, a significant difference was observed. Internal rangers’ cost was nine times lower than the external service cost. Future research run by rangers needs to be conducted in way to capture all mammalian biodiversity. Therefore, we propose camera trapping methodology for rangers in the protected areas since this may be an invaluable tool for biodiversity monitoring.
Studies of the ornithofauna of the southern part of Velebit have been running continuously since 1984. Part of the data is collected by the observation of the birds in various parts of the Paklenica ...National Park, as well as in parts of southern Velebit, from Veliko Libinje to Tulove Grede, Prezid and Crnopac. The area of central Velebit was studied from Bačić Kosa to Alaginac and Bačić Kuk in 2003, and occasionally in 2011 and 2012. The area of northern Velebit was visited around Zavižan, the botanical garden, part of the Premužićeva trail to Rossijeva Koliba,Lomska Duliba and Štirovača during 1988 and occasionally from 2007-2011. Birds were recorded at times of nesting, spring and autumn migrations as well as in winter. To date 271 bird species have been noted on Velebit.165 species inhabit within the boundaries of the Paklenica National Park, 101 of which nest there. In the area of the Northern Velebit National Park 110 species have been noted. Today it can safely be said that 127 bird species nest on the Velebit mountain. This contribution contains a fulllist of the noted bird species, the category of endangerment, seasonal status, as well as an estimated number of nesting birds, i.e. migrations.
Abstract
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria was observed during cold winters in different parts of Croatia, along the Adriatic coast, on islands as well as inland. Their origin remains unknown, but they ...may belong to the population nesting in the Alps or in Dinaric parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. The overwintering along the Adriatic coast was explored during field observations, but also from the literature and museum data. The field investigations were carried out in Istria, North Dalmatia, Paklenica NP, Kornati NP and central Dalmatia, Krka NP. In total, 96 observations were made: 35 specimens from museum collections and literature and 61 during field research. The Wallcreeper was observed in Velika and Mala Paklenica canyons in Paklenica NP during cold winters, but not during milder winters. In the Paklenica NP, the earliest individuals were observed on 10 Oct and the latest on 28 Apr. On the complete east Adriatic coast and in Croatian inland, the earliest record was made on 6 Sep and the latest on 2 May. There are 5-10 individuals overwintering in Paklenica National Park.
New localities of three subendemic species (Berberis croatica, Teucrium arduini and Micromeria croatica) have been found in the Dinaric Alps. Berberis croatica was found at ten new locations, nine of ...them in Croatia and one in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Teucrium arduini was found on Mt Učka, Mt Velebit, Mt Biokovo and Mt Sniježnica, at nine new locations while Micromeria croatica was found at four new locations, only on Mt Velebit.
The Paklenica National Park was closed to visitors during the war in Croatia from 1991-1995. When the war ended the Park was reopened to the public and the numbers of visitors increased during the ...research period until the end of 2001. We investigated the impact of the increase in the numbers of two categories of visitors (walkers and climbers) on the bird species community. Fifty-six species of breeding birds were recorded in the most frequently visited part of the Park, the Velika Paklenica Canyon, between 1996 and 2001. Redundancy Analysis established that more species were positively correlated with the number of visitors than were negatively correlated. The positively correlated species were: Rock Dove (Columba livia), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), House Martin (Delichon urbica), Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius), Rock Nuthatch (Sitta neumayer), Marsh Tit (Parus palustris), Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea), Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Picoides minor), Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus), and Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla). The negatively correlated species were: Chifchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca), Eurasian Vulture (Gyps fulvus), Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis), Great Tit (Parus major), Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), Long tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus), Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo), Black- eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica), and Black Bird (Turdus merula). The impact of climbers and walkers could not be differentiated due to the intercorrelation between them. We discuss the influence of visitor flows, climbing and other recreational activities on the breeding bird community.
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