Nature trail "Oborou Hvězda", information board No.13 - Animals in the Game-Preserve

( Živočichové v oboře - informace v českém jazyce)

Hvězda game-preserve is surrounded by dense city development, which deteriorates and complicates migration for a majority of animals. There is negative influence of a great frequency of visitors, and especially of loosely running dogs; there are also cats in the peripheral parts. Nevertheless, the game-preserve represents home for a number of animals, from invertebrates and amphibians to birds and mammals. They find various types of biotopes here, starting with water reservoirs and wetland biotopes with wet meadows, with rather dry upper plateau with trees, up to the northern slopes and the wet stream valley. Foliate species of trees prevail, mostly oaks and beech, with spruce trees and Scotch pine trees as representatives of coniferous; Austrian pine is geographically not authentic in this locality.

Among the significant species of invertebrates in this locality, there is a snail Perpolita petronella; ground beetle from the Carabidae family Amara Brunnea; Eutheia scydmaenoides orientalis (Scydmaenidae); true weevils Otiorhynchus porcatus, Barypeithes mollicomus, Acalles echinatus; butterflies Lasiommata maera, Dichonia aprilina, Fabiola pokornyi.

Regarding reptiles, there is grass snake (Natrix natrix) in the lower part of the game-preserve.

There are three families of amphibians here, with the most numerous being the common frog (Rana Temporaria). It is quite plentiful in the locality. In warm weather conditions, this species mates as early as in the first half of March, and if the weather is colder, their activity postpones up until the end of the month. It requires water surface for egg laying with enough water throughout the development. Thanks to the renewed pond, the conditions for development of this species improved, whereas water in the existing wetland surfaces, as well as in the small pond by the game-preserve wall, sometimes dried out before the development was completed. Numerous individuals therefore died before the metamorphosis due to lack of water.

European green toad (Bufo viridis) represents another species, occurring rarely in peripheral localities, yet there is no evidence of reproduction.

Common newt (Triturus vulgaris) is a rare species occurring in the game-preserve. It reproduces here to a limited extent, but nevertheless, its development cycle is longer compared to frogs (lasting over a year, possibly), and therefore it is more sensitive to periods of water drying out. This species is severely endangered in the Czech Republic.

Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) rarely occurs in the northern part of the locality, i.e. in less frequented parts. Male lizard is beautifully coloured in green; female lizard is smaller with inconspicuous brownish colour. It is also a representative of severely endangered species.

Birds are much more numerous in representation in the game-preserve. The conditions at Hvězda game-preserve are better than anywhere around, and therefore there are many species here, with a majority of them also nesting here. Birds find good conditions for nesting in shrubberies and on the trees, with species nesting on the ground facing much more difficult conditions, therefore being less numerous here. This is mostly due to loosely running dogs chasing bird nests and non-flying fledglings.

Mammals occur in the game-preserve as well, yet their numbers are limited. The time when fallow deer or wild boars pranced about the game-preserve is long gone. There were reports of spotted lonely piece of roe-deer in the early 1980s. Today, there is not a single rabbit in the game-preserve, although they could be found here as late as in the 1990s. There are rare representatives of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) occurring throughout the entire territory of the game-preserve. Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) can also be found throughout the game-preserve, being very popular with the public and often fed. The squirrels are often chased by stone marten (Martes foina). This species can also be found in the green vegetation around the game-preserve. Other local species live in hiding, such as brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), omnivorous species propagating from the city development, occurring around the Litovický Stream. European water vole (Arvicola terestris) is a representative of species preferring wetland biotopes. It can be found around the stream. Representatives of the insectivorous species of common shrew (Sorex araneus) were also found here in abundance. Hedgehogs (of Erinaceous species) were also observed here, being insectivorous as well as the vole. European mole (Talpa europaea) is also insectivorous. We can find molehills on the meadows, as well as in the peripheral parts of woods nearby the alleys. In the game-preserve woods and surrounding gardens, we can find representatives of (mostly night animals) edible dormouse (Glis glis), hazel dormouse (Muscardius avellanarius), and several species of bats, e.g. common noctule or barbastelle. Bats can find shelter here for the summer in tree cavities, as well as for the winter in the tunnels.

In the Hvězda game-preserve, there is a locality of European significance No. CZ 0113001, generally known as NATURA 2000. This type of protection was proposed for this territory due to the occurrence of a protected and endangered species of a narrow-mouthed whorl snail ((Vertigo angustior).

The occurrence of this species is bound to the wetland in the Litovický Stream and Světlička Stream wold. In the past, there used to be a pond in this locality, supplied by water from Světlička and a mill situated behind the game-preserve wall. Until today, this area is still a wetland, requiring a specific and sensitive way of tending with occasional mowing of selected parts of the wetland only. A number of species of animals are bound to the wetland (including birds), finding the necessary life and nesting conditions of peace and quiet on the more extensive surface of the wetland. As the alder carr keeps growing, there will be improvement cutting carried out in the alder growth.

Nature trail "Oborou Hvězda":

1. The History of the Game-Preserve
2. Old Oak Growths
3. Hvězda and its Surroundings
4. Birds in the Game-Preserve
5. The Pleasure House
6. Personalities in the History of Hvězda
7. Natura 2000 and wetland
8. Beech-Wood under the Pleasure House
9. Water in the Game-Preserve
10. The Geology of Hvězda Game-Preserve
11. The Battle of Bílá Hora
12. Hvězda Game-Preserve and Hunting
13. Animals in the Game-Preserve (Živočichové v oboře - informace v českém jazyce)
14. Forest Renewal