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 Fauna
Puszcza Bia這wieska, whose fauna consists of
almost 11 thousand species, is famous first of all for its renewed
herb of the biggest European mammals – aurochs (bison bonasus)... |
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Mammals
Puszcza Bia這wieska,
whose fauna consists of almost 11 thousand species, is famous first
of all for its renewed herb of the biggest European mammals –
aurochs (bison bonasus). Today the aurochs are a symbol and
emblematic animal of the park. They are also one of the main
attractions for tourists in the forest.
These mammals used to inhabit almost all Europe many centuries ago.
At the beginning of the previous century, their number considerably
dropped, and the last aurochs were killed there in 1919. A fight to
reproduce it started at that moment. At first, it was at the
initiative of Jan Sztolcman, Professor, that there was founded the
International Aurochs Protection Society in 1923. One year later it
was counted that merely 54 animals of that typed survived in the
world. The first one was transported to Bia這wie瘸 in autumn in 1929
and it was placed in a special paddock. The herd increased up to 16
animals till the breakout of the Second World War.
The process of the reproduction of aurochs was continued after the
war and two first animals were set at liberty in 1952. Five years
later, there was registered the first birth of the aurochs at large.
Since that time the herd in Bia這wie瘸 had increased to over 250
animals. If we add ca. 300 animals living in the Belarusian side of
the forest, it makes the herd the biggest concentration of these
animals in the world.
Groups of aurochs can be encountered today all over the forest. The
biggest ones are formed in winter (even up to 100 animals), when
they are fed in specially set feeders. In spring the biggest herds
usually split into several groups a’ 20 animals in each one. Calves
are born usually in May and June. The heat period is usually at the
end of the summer, when the males join the herds and they frequently
start to fight for females. Young males of more or less 4 years of
age separate from the herd and establish new groups of 2-6 animals.
Herds of aurochs wander usually in the radius of 10 km. No mixed
herds are practically encountered outside the forest. Aurochs are
animals of huge dimensions. An adult one achieves the weight to one
tone. Its height is frequently more than 180cm, and its length is
280 cm. Running aurochs can reach the speed of up to 60 km/h. There
were also seen aurochs jumping over 2-metre-high fences.
Other big mammals living in the forest apart from aurochs include:
deers (Alcees alces), boars (Sus scrofa), and stags (Cereus elaphus),
rarely wolves (Canis lupus) and lynxes (Felis lynx). |
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Birds
Puszcza Bia這wieska is also a paradise for ornitologists. Nests are
built there by 120 species of birds from 228 types that were
registered there. A special attention should be put to predators,
e.g., lesser spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina), golden eagle (Aquila
chrysaetos), or short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus). There are
also 8 species of owls, e.g., eagle owl (Bubo bubo), short-eared owl
(Asio flammeus), or pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum). There were
also seen the very rare great grey owl (Strix nebulosa). Species of
birds characteristic for primaveal areas, including marshes or
peat-areas, are also quite numerous in the forest. There are, e.g.,
a crane (Grus grus), black stork (Ciconia nigra), aquatic warbler (Acrocephalus
paludicola), black grouse (Lyrarus tetrix), nutcracker (Nucifraga
caruocacactes), rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus), and many others. |
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Reptiles,
Amphibians, Fishes
The smallest group of vertebrates are the reptiles, represented by 7
species only. It is difficult to speak of common reptiles nowadays;
nevertheless the sand lizard and the grass-snake are the most
widespread species in the Forest. Next come: the blind-worm, the
viper and the common lizard. European pond turtles and smooth snakes
are very rarely encountered in the Forest.
Amphibians are a more numerous species group. However, their
population tends to decrease and some species might disappear. The
best example is European fire-bellied toad, which used to be quite
common even in the glades; in the late 90ties of the 20th century it
was observed only in a few standings on the Forest borders.
Apart from the European fire-bellied toad, the following amphibian
species inhabit the woodland complex of the Bia這wie瘸 Forest:
common tree frog, common Eurasian spadefoot, common toad, green
toad, natterjack toad, common frog, moor frog, pool frog and the
edible frog, as well as two newt species: smooth newt and crested
newt.
Fish constitute a small taxonomical group in the Forest. The Forest
rivers are quite little and flow very slowly due to a small ground
slope. This puts natural limitations on development of many fish
species. There are no large water basins in Bia這wie瘸, either.
Thirty-two fish species and three cyclostomata species (3 species of
lampreys) have been discovered in the forest waters until now. In
the case of this animal group it seems to be almost the complete
water fauna of the woodland complex. |
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Fauna Puszczy Bia這wieskiej
fot. Mateusz Szymura,
Ireneusz Zacharewicz |
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