As of: March 2, 2024, 11:01 a.m
By: Lilli Schaule
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A unique population of stone crabs in Germany was found in a stream in the Regen district.
© IMAGO/blickwinkel
A project to protect native crayfish was carried out in two districts in the Bavarian Forest in 2023.
Now the results were presented - they caused surprises.
Regen – Particular attention is paid to protecting native crayfish in the Regen and Freyung-Grafenau districts in the Bavarian Forest.
There, the aquatic ecology recorded
leaffish
in 157 places throughout 2023, as the Regen district describes in a press release.
This project was developed across authorities by the Lower Nature Conservation Authority Regen, the government of Lower Bavaria, the Fisheries Advisory Service of the District of Lower Bavaria, the State Environmental Agency and the Deggendorf Water Management Office.
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“A little sensation”: results caused a surprise
Now the aquatic ecology department has published the results of the count – which caused a few surprises.
“We found no crayfish at 137 sample points, rock crayfish at eleven sample points, non-native signal crayfish at five sample points and noble crayfish at four sample points,” explains Samuel Auer from aquatic ecology
blattfisch.
“
That sounds very negative at first glance,” Auer continues.
But above all, the large stone crab population in the Regen district in the Achslach municipality is exceptional.
710 stone crabs were counted there per 100 meters - in a stream with no name.
According to experts, the number is a uniquely large population in Germany.
And the very good noble crayfish population in Freyung-Grafenau is also “a small sensation”.
Native crayfish are critically endangered
Stone crabs and noble crabs are at great risk due to habitat loss and man-made stress factors, explains Auer.
Water quality also plays a role.
Above all, the spread of signal crayfish threatens the native crayfish.
“This is a carrier of the crayfish plague, which usually leads to the extinction of entire populations of stone and noble crayfish,” explains Martin Graf from the Regen Nature Conservation Authority.
In order to best protect the native crayfish against the signal crayfish, donor populations and potential reintroduction waters were identified.
So-called crayfish barriers, i.e. artificial barriers, are intended to prevent signal crayfish from migrating into these waters.
However, such projects could come into conflict with legal requirements.
“It is important that we coordinate and find solutions for the preservation of rare native species,” explains District Administrator Dr.
Ronny Raith.
An expansion of the project to the whole of Lower Bavaria is currently under discussion.
There is also discussion about whether the stream with the many stone crabs should be called Krebsbach.
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