News and Events
Restoring and improving habitats
Activities aimed at the restoration of habitats and addressing threats to the Croatian population of the Balkan Terrapin are in full swing.
The "LIFE for Mauremys'' project was designed to preserve the unfavorable conservation status of iconic freshwater turtle species Balkan Terrapin (Mauremys rivulata) within all Natura 2000 areas in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County where it has been recorded. In accordance with the The European Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 supported by the European Parliament, the project will deal with Mediterranean freshwater habitats that are very important for Balkan Terrapin and biodiversity in general.
The project's activities include restoration of habitats, improvement of their quality and connectivity as well as population reinforcement by implementing a breeding programme. By including the community in the project activities, we will raise awareness about the importance of Balkan Terrapin conservation.
Activities aimed at the restoration of habitats and addressing threats to the Croatian population of the Balkan Terrapin are in full swing.
May 23, World Turtle Day, is just around the corner. The LIFE for Mauremys project dedicates this day to educational and promotional activities centered around two main events.
Year and a half of the LIFE for Mauremys project
On February 29, 2024, we participated in a networking meeting of Croatian beneficiaries of LIFE SAP projects - "Results and Effects of LIFE Projects in Croatia," organized by the National Contact Point for the LIFE Program.
World Wetlands Day in Opuzen Elementary School
In November, partners held a collaborative workshop on sustainable fishing practices in the Balkan Terrapin habitats.
One year from the beginning of the project, on October 2nd, 2023, partners gathered at the Entrepreneurship Centre of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County for the third live meeting.
Gravid Balkan Terrapins females, collected during field research in June from Dubrovnik-Neretva County, were carefully transported to the Zagreb Zoological Garden.
To enhance their knowledge and learn from other projects' experiences in restoring small water bodies, project partners visited Ivan Budinski, Tomislav Sotinac, and Melani Glavinić from Association BIOM on Dinara.
On June 27, 2023, we had the opportunity to meet with Fotini Vrettou and Zoi Mylona.
The teams of project partners conducted extensive field research on Balkan Terrapins in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County from June 12th to 17th.
To restore habitats and mitigate direct threats to the Balkan Terrapin population in Croatia, we are collaborating with fishermen and experts to design, manufacture, and test a new type of fishing net.
In anticipation of World Turtle Day, celebrated annually on May 23rd, Mauremys Day was held at the Zoological Garden of Zagreb.
With the arrival of spring, turtle activity increases and the project team is more active in task 4.2.
In April, the Public Institution for Management of Protected Natural Areas of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County hosted the project partners and stakeholders from Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
28.03.2023. in the premises of the Great Hall of the Faculty of Agriculture Zagreb, the project coordinator in cooperation with other partners held a Consortium meeting.
As a part of the LIFE for Mauremys project, on March 15, Zagreb Zoo hosted a workshop to build on the knowledge about breeding of endangered reptiles and restoring their populations in nature.
The first NEEMO supervision visit of the LIFE for Mauremys project was held.
The first consortium meeting (kick-off) of the LIFE for Mauremys project was held in Dubrovnik
WP1: Project management and coordination
WP2: Restoring and improving habitats
WP3: Reinforcement of Ston field population
WP4: Adressing the other threats
WP5: Monitoring and evaluation
WP6: Public awaraness, dissemination and networking
WP7: Sustainability, replication and exploitation of project results