Endangered species

in Poland

The Black Grouse is severely endangered and faces near extinction as only 1,000 of the birds are left in Poland. Scientists from all over Europe are currently gathered in Bialowieza, northeastern Poland, at the 5th European Conference of the Black Grouse, Endangered Species, which lasts until 9 October. “There was a time when these birds were all over. Now, we know them only from books, which is why it is essential to try to do everything to save them,” claims Roman Kalski from PTOP.

Black grouse

Chamois

Poland's chamois were taken under protection as early as in 1869. Since 1957, when only 77 animals were spotted, the Tatra National Park has been counting them every year. In late 2001 there were 70 chamois in the park, 25 in the High Tatras and 45 in the West Tatras. On the Slovakian side, they slightly exceed 200. The species is threatened with extinction.

The European pond turtle is a reptile listed on the Polish and European Red List of Threatened Species as an endangered species, and carrying out active protection of this species is a necessity. Such actions, for many years, have been carried out in the Poleski National Park. They consist, among others, of observation of female turtle on the breeding grounds, the location and protection of the deposits of the eggs laid by the females from predators.

Pond turtle

Wildcat Estimated number of wildcats in Poland is between 100 and 150 individuals, estimated density is 1-1.3 per 1000 ha (Okarma et al. 2002). The current distribution of wildcat in the Polish Carpathians, mainly along the borders with Slovakia and Ukraine, shows that the Polish population forms a continuum with Slovak and Ukrainian populations. Together they constitute the northernmost part of the larger Carpathian population of this species. The species is decreasing and is considered endangered in Red Data Book of Poland

BisonThe European bison is especially protected in Poland. The species almost completely disappeared around 1920. The European bison, threatened with extinction, is protected in the Bialowieza forest. Today (as of 2009), the European bison enjoys species protection under the Regulation of the Minister of the Environment of September 28th 2004. The species is no. 125 on the list of species that are subject to such protection. It is also included on the list of endangered species.

Peregrine

The species severe involved by common use of DDT. In Poland where in deep forests and in mountains used to breed hundreds of pairs in the past , Peregrine extinct for long decades. Recently it rebuilt its population and increase in number reaching population of about 12-15 breeding pairs.