3. The Kingfisher
(Alcedo atthis)
HABITAT: riverine wetlands
(National Park Donauauen)
On the one hand, it needs sandy-loamy river
banks where it builds its breeding tunnels -
On the other hand, the kingfisher needs an
ever-evolving river bank structure with
overhanging branches as perches, wherefrom
it can catch small fish better.
River regulation has led to the elimination of
suitable habitats for the kingfisher.
Of great danger to the kingfisher is the
pollution of waters by toxic chemicals from
industry, but also through over-fertilization by
agriculture and runoff
from residential areas. The Danube 1820 (Lobau)
Because of negative population growth in
most parts of Europe, Special Protection
Areas have been arranged like in the National
Park Donauauen. The Danube wetlands
shelter the most important kingfisher
breeding grounds in all of Austria The Danube 2007 (Lobau)
5. The Sterlet
(Acipenser ruthenus)
HABITAT: freshwater/ riverine wetlands
(National Park Donauauen)
The Sterlet is the only living representative of the sturgeon family
which lives year round in freshwater.
It’s from 40-60cm long to the maximum of 1m.
It is critically endangered of becoming extinct in the Danube.
Overfishing is the major
threat to the species all over
the world.
In Austria, dam construction
led to the loss of spawning
grounds across the species'
range.
All other sturgeon species of
the Danube above the Iron
Gate- are thought to be
extinct since it can’t be
passed-.
The Iron Gate
So it is being supported by breeding and stocking
in the Donau-Auen National Park.
7. The Eurasian Beaver
(Castor fiber)
HABITAT: riverine wetlands
(National Park Donauauen)
The beaver is the "master builder" of riverine landscapes. By
felling trees, the beaver makes a significant contribution to
biodiversity by providing habitats for many other species.
In Austria, beavers had been extinguished by the middle of the
19th century, because they had been hunted for fur, meat,
castoreum oil (a syrup-like secretion produced by the beaver),
beaver fat, testicles and blood, which were believed to have
curative powers
Starting in the 1970s, they were restored on the Salzach and Inn
rivers as well as in the Danube wetlands east of Vienna. There are
currently between 800-1000 individuals in Austria.
Despite the population’s recovery and its
re-introduction, the beaver remains
endangered.
In large areas of the Danube River Basin, it
is still absent.
The lifestyle of a beaver requires water
areas close to riverbanks where humans
don’t grow or cultivate anything.
9. The Southern Festoon
(Zerynthia polyxena)
HABITAT: mainly vineyards, wetlands
(National Park Donauauen)
The Southern Festoon prefers open landscapes where its sole
food plant Aristolochia (Aristolochia clematitis) grows – which
explains also its unusual name.
In German, this butterfly's common name is in fact
"Osterluzeifalter", while the herb is called "Osterluzei".
The Festoon is named after the plant without which it can’t live.
It is interesting that this plant is
very poisonous; this poison gets
into the caterpillar and remains in
the butterfly, so it is inedible for
other animals.
Since the festoon is dependent on
its food plant its population is also
decreasing because the food plant
is disappearing. It is critically endangered in all of Austria.
Festoons can be protected by leaving fallow land which is their
most suitable habitat.
11. The Common Frogbit
(Hydrocharis morsus-ranae)
HABITAT: stagnant or slow-moving waters
riverine wetlands (National Park Donauauen)
The Common Frogbit is a free-floating
aquatic plant with long hanging roots; often
building huge floating colonies.
It lives in lakes or slow-moving waters rich
in nitrogen and minerals but low in chalk. It
prefers calcium rich water with no wave
action.
Only scattered specimens are found in
most parts of Austria. In three provinces
(Carinthia, Tyrol and Vorarlberg) the
species is rare and perhaps extinct.
Its natural habitats are reducing because
of water pollution and drain or loss of their natural habitat, so it is
vigorously protected in most parts of Austria.
13. The Barn Owl
(Tyto Alba)
HABITAT: mainly farmland or grassland
also woodland
The Barn Owl is noctural, but it often becomes active shortly
before dusk.
It prefers to hunt along the edges of woods.
As a synanthropic bird it often lives on or near farms.
Owls consume more rodents than possibly any other
creature. This should make the Barn Owl one of the
most economically valuable wildlife animals to
farmers.
In Austria, the Barn Owl is endangered because humans
destroyed the natural hunting ground and the favoured old barns,
by using harmful poisons to reduce the rodent population.
While the Barn Owl is able to recover from short-term population
decreases, they are not as common in some places as they used to
be.
BIRD LIFE Austria has started a species conservation project in
selected parts of Lower Austria. By hanging up marten-proof
nesting boxes, and asking farmers to make their barns accessible
to owls again, they try to help to recover the Barn Owl population.
15. The European Souslik
(Spermophilus citellus)
HABITAT: mainly steppes, pastures
The European Souslik has quite
specific habitat requirements.
It is restricted to short-grass steppes
and similar artificial habitats
(pastures, lawns, sports fields, golf
courses) where it can build its
burrows.
The European Souslik is currently in serious decline.
The main threats to this species are the conversion of steppe-
grassland and pasture to cultivated fields or forestry, which are
not suitable for the souslik.
In Austria it is therefore largely restricted to vineyards, airstrips,
golflinks, sport- and camping grounds and other frequently mown
lawns where it is completely dependent on the tolerance of the
owners
There are special species conservation areas like the
„Perchtoldsdorfer Heide“, where people try to educate others
about the Souslik.
17. The European Hedgehog
(Erinaceus europaeus)
HABITAT: woodland, farmland, suburban areas
It is nocturnal and if alarmed will roll itself into a ball,
protecting itself against potential enemies with its
spines.
Reasons for the endangerment are pesticide pollution
and therefore the loss of basic food resource, the
impoverishment of landscape. Their habitat namely hedges are
destroyed so they withdraw in parks and private gardens. There
their main enemies are: the lawnmowers, fertilizers and again
pesticides.
Another serious reason is traffic, because
hedgehogs are not able to flee.
In Austria, there are several associations which try to educate
people how to help the hedgehogs, breed orphaned hedgehogs or
help to build hedgehog-friendly gardens.
19. The Common Toad
(Bufo Bufo)
HABITAT: various habitats
Toads live in just about any water hole they can find. They spend
most of their time either in the water or on land near the water's
edge, but can also be found in dry countryside well away from
standing water
On their Spring migration the Common Toad and the
Common Frog, are in great danger when crossing roads
by night to get to their spawning grounds.
So in Austria, there are several projects, which help the Common
Toads to get there without harm:
Fences are put up to protect them. By
transporting toads in buckets lots of
these amphibians can be saved from
possible death.
Amphibian tunnels are built underneath streets, people are asked
not to use streets at particular points or times, or artificial
compensatory habitats are built, so that the toads don’t have to
cross streets.
21. The Fire Salamander
(Salamandra salamandra)
HABITAT: mainly in or near mixed woodland
The Fire Salamander is the best-known salamander species in
Europe.
It mainly lives at the edge of mixed forests where it can find dry
places to hide as well as bodies of water (small springs/brooks,...)
nearby.
Fire Salamanders are endangered because each year some of
these bodies of water are destroyed mainly due to environmental
pollution. Furthermore there is a decrease of typical mixed
woodland that is essentially needed and a lot of fire salamanders
are killed when crossing streets to get to their spawning grounds.
Some conservation measures in Austria
are recovery and preservation of
spawning grounds, long-term rebuilding
of conifer forests back to natural mixed
woodlands as well as amphibian tunnels
to get them safely to their spawning
grounds.
23. The Alpine Salamander
(Salamandra atra)
HABITAT: alpine mixed woodland, alpine meadows,
couloirs
It is found in the Central, Eastern and Dinaric
Alps at altitudes above 700 meters.
Unlike other salamanders whose larvae are
developed in water, the Alpine salamander is a
fully terrestrial, live-bearing species.
The main reason for their endangerment is the
destruction of their natural habitat by opening up mountain roads,
intensive cultivation of alpine meadows for cattle or application of
artificial fertilizers or sewage.
Because of its local rareness it is strictly protected.
Their population status and distribution in Austria and Salzburg
has not yet been monitored extensively and despite its central role
in the ecosystem, existing scientific records are scarce.
The preservation of hiding places on alpine meadows is essential
for this species.
25. The Eurasian Brown Bear
(Ursus arctos arctos)
HABITAT: primarily forests, alpine forests
In central Europe, brown bears live in wooded areas, and as long
as sufficient food and places for hibernation are present, it is
relatively unimportant for them how their habitat looks like.
Seen as a supposed food competitor and a danger for people and
their cattle, the brown bear was hunted into extinction in many
places. Therefore only a few brown bears can be found in Middle -
and Western Europe.
At the moment there are no female
bears in or near Austria, which
makes breeding a problem. So
bringing female bears from other
areas to Austria would help a lot.
Individual bears ;February 2010
There are several organisations and projects which try to prevent
the brown bears from extinction, like the WWF Austria.
Everyone can support them by donating or applying for
membership.
27. The Wild Grape
(Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris)
HABITAT: riverine wetlands
(National Park Donauauen)
It is the wild and now rare ancestor of the Common Grape. Its
beautiful autumn leaves make it a seasonal
eye-catcher in the riparian forest. The Wild
Grape prefers warm, fresh to moderate dry
soils, which are not too chalky.
It is very rare in Austria and only grows in
Vienna and Lower Austria along the
riparian forests of the Danube. The only
significant occurrence of this plant in
Austria is in the Donauauen National Park.
Because its incidence is limited to Vienna and Lower Austria, the
species is classified as endangered in Austria. Wild grapevines are
becoming endangered in their natural habitats since dams are
eliminating the natural water flow.
Supporting these special protection areas and educating others
about the endangerment is essential for this species’ survival!
29. The European Hamster
(Cricetus cricetus)
HABITAT: farmland, meadows, grassland
The European Hamster can grow to 34 - 40 centimetres and is
considered to be the most multi-coloured European animal.
It is mainly dawn and night active and a loner, so each animal
possesses its own burrow.
Preferred food of the hamster are seeds,
legumes, root vegetables and grasses and
also insects.
It transports its food in its elastic cheek
pouches to the food storage chambers.
In Austria, the population decreased drastically in the last 30
years. Extensive mechanization in agriculture and the use of
pesticides is largely to blame for this.
Safety measures, similar to those for the European Souslik should
be framed and farmers should cultivate their farms in ways that
are more hamster-friendly!
31. The Wild Service Tree
(Sorbus torminalis clusii)
HABITAT: woodland, ridges, gardens
It is generally rare, being listed as an endangered species in
Switzerland and Austria. Its name is not related to the English
word ‘service’, but derived instead from its Latin name ‘sorbus’
(member of the rose family)
The Wild Service tree is a very rare wild fruit tree. It was chosen
“Tree of the Year” 2012.
Many pollinators e.g. social bees, bumblebees and beetles choose
its blossoms. The tree itself does not grow in groups. It needs a lot
of light and grows very slowly.
The fruits used to be eaten as a cure for colic and diarrhoea. The
fruits are also used to produce exquisite liquors, especially in
Germany and Austria. The wood of the Wild Service Tree is one of
the most valuable hardwoods in Europe.
One of the main reasons for its
endangerment is the damage
caused by road salting which
dries out the leaves. The second
enemy for the tree are gall mites.
By stopping road salting we could preserve and protect the Wild
Service Tree.
33. The Northern Bald Ibis
(Geronticus eremita)
HABITAT: semi desert/ rocky, mountains
The Northern Bald Ibis was once widespread in Europe dating
back at least 1.8 million years. It disappeared from Europe over
300 years ago, and is now considered critically endangered.
The reasons for the species' long-term decline are unclear, but
hunting, loss of habitat, and pesticide poisoning have been a
reason for the rapid loss of colonies in the last decades.
For the first time in 300 years, a batch of Northern Bald Ibis chicks
came out of their eggs and on to Austrian ground.
The Austrian biologist Dr Johannes Fritz, a bird
lover made them come back to the Austrian Alps
by showing them the way using a microlight.
Dr Fritz used a technique to make sure that he
was the first thing that the rare ibis chicks saw
when they hatched.
He and his team taught them how to
survive in the wild, how to hunt worms
and how to find food on their owns. He
even gave them special flight training.
35. The European Green Lizard
(Lacerta viridis viridis)
HABITAT: forest edges, halfdry grassland,
also National Park Donauauen
Like all lizards, the European Green Lizard is exclusively diurnal.
It is restricted to warm locations
with sufficient moisture and
therefore highly vulnerable.
In Austria, it is restricted to
the eastern provinces where it
is native in the National Park
Donauauen.
Unfavourable climatic
conditions and climatic
changes can lead to stock
losses. Furthermore the improvement of infrastructure,
encroachment and possibly also catching wild individuals are
serious threats to the European Green Lizard.
To protect it from becoming extinct, we can offer more habitats
and support the National Park Donauauen and have to stop
catching wild individuals out of their habitat.
37. The Lady’s Slipper Orchid
(Cypripedium calceolus)
HABITAT: open, semi-shaded woodland, wetland,
bushy mountainsides
The Lady’s Slipper Orchid is one of the most splendid wild-growing
orchid and is therefore protected by law in Europe.
There are a great number of reasons
why it is endangered.
Not only is it unable to adjust to the rapid
changes of the environment caused by
humans like wetlands drainage, road
construction, tree cutting, herbicides
and uprooting, but they are also illegally
picked by people.
As protection against extinction various
actions have been taken, such as putting
up protection fences around stocks or
even standing guard during the
blooming time.
The Lady’s Slipper Orchid can also be preserved by keeping rivers
in their natural form and not using herbicides.
39. The Scarce Swallowtail
(Iphiclides podalirius)
Habitat : gardens, hedges,fields and woodland
The Scarce Swallowtail is considered to be one of the most
beautiful European butterflies.
Over the last decades it suffered from
great losses of territory.
One of the main food plants is the
blackthorn bush, which is being cleared
rigorously and so the Scarce Swallowtail
is getting rarer.
Although considered rare -endangered
and protected in some provinces of Austria it is however unlisted
in the IUCN Red List.
It is not only important to protect their natural habitat, but also to
ensure the replanting and new-planting of food plants.
41. The European Honey Bee
(Apis mellifera)
HABITAT: various habitats
close to blooming plants
"Bees are the builders of biodiversity”. After cattle and pigs,
experts say bees are the third most important species of "farm
animal”, helping to pollinate 80 percent of plants.
Bee populations have been mysteriously declining in recent years
all over the world.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, the die-off
is due to a combination of parasites, viral and bacterial infections,
pesticides and poor nutrition caused by the impact of human
activities on the environment.
So a lot of researches have been started to get more information
and find ways of protecting the bee populations all over the world.
Vienna's famed Opera House is buzzing
with a new star attraction this season: a
beehive on its roof to celebrate the
International Year of Biodiversity.
The rooftop stars are part of a green
project called "Vielfaltleben" beehive on top of the Opera
(Diversity of Life) sponsored by
Austria's Environmental Ministry.
43. The Alpine Edelweiss
(Leontopodium alpinum)
HABITAT: rocky limestone, mountains
The Alpine Edelweiß, which in the German language
means noble and white, is found generally at altitudes
from 1700 meters to 2700 meters.
Edelweiss flowers are classified as short lived
perennials, which after being picked during a number of
growing seasons from the same plant, are unable to
propagate by seeding and will disappear from a formerly
established area.
Around the middle of the 19th century, the Edelweiss
gained great popularity, whereby the hunt for the small
star-shaped flower began. By picking and uprooting
many stocks have been destroyed.
At the International Conference of Alpine Clubs in
Obwalden, Switzerland (1878) in conjunction with the
governments of Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Italy,
the Edelweiss was protected in a large part of the
European Alps.
By that time it had already disappeared along the more
popular hiking and climbing routes.