Dragi zaljubljenici u prirodu i našu Dravu,
naša ambasadorica, mala čigra, treba vašu pomoć kako bi joj boravak na sprudovima naše rijeke bio ugodan, a prije svega siguran. Svake godine male čigre u proljeće dolaze iz Afrike, gdje provode zime, dok na izoliranim šljunčanim i pješčanim sprudovima provode proljeće i ljeto te šire svoje obitelji osiguravajući tako opstanak vrste.
No, to se sve promijenilo unazad nekoliko desetljeća, ponajviše zbog ljudskih aktivnosti na rijekama, zbog čega su na Muri i Dravi u Hrvatskoj i Mađarskoj u prosjeku prisutna samo četiri para malih čigri. Izgradnja hidroelektrana, regulacija rijeka, vađenje šljunka samo su neki od razloga gubitka šljunčanih i pješčanih otoka, glavnih staništa naših ambasadorica.
Sada su mali dijelovi rijeke Drave dom malih čigri, gdje još uvijek mogu naći mjesta za podizanje mladih te u plitkim vodama, uvalama i rukavcima dovoljno ribe da se prehrane.
Kako bi pomogli opstanku malih čigri i pokazali se kao pravi njihovi prijatelji – izbjegavajte hodanje po šljunčanim i pješčanim sprudovima tijekom sezone gniježđenja, od sredine travnja do kraja srpnja, jer tako ne smetate njihovim ptićima u gnijezdima. Time ćete im omogućiti povećanje populacije i osigurati da opet postanu česti susjedi na Dravi!
Help the little terns
Dear lovers of nature and the Drava River,
Ambassador of the Drava, the little tern, needs your help to make her stay at the bars of our river comfortable and, above all, safe. Each year in the spring little terns return from Africa, where they spend their winter, and then stay, during spring and summer on isolated gravel and sand bars where they bring young one into the world, ensuring the survival of their species.
All this has changed over the last few decades, mostly because of human activities on the rivers that decimated suitable nesting spots. Today only four pairs of little terns are present on the Mura and Drava in Croatia and Hungary. Construction of hydropower plants, river regulation, and sediment extraction are just some of the reasons that have led to a loss of gravel and sand bars, which are the main habitat of the Drava’s ambassador.
Small sections of the Drava River which still preserve some breeding places on rare gravel and sand bars are home to little terns. In shallow water zones, bays and oxbows little terns can find enough fish to feed themselves and their little ones.
To help them please do not step on the gravel and sand bars particularly during the birds’ breeding season between Mid-April and the end of July! This will help increase the population and make sure little terns become again frequent neighbours on the Drava River!
