The environmental heritage – The Iezer Calarasi Reserve comprises 271 well monitored bird species that are protected on the basis of the Berna (L13/1993) and Bonn (L13/1998) Conventions. As far as the AIA Ciocanesti Nature Reserve is concerned, according to Marin Hodorogea, the director of Ciocanesti Piscicola trading company, the WWF team has identified 138 bird species in this area.

The project team have focused their attention on the biology and ecology of three species: (), or doctor fish ( and ). Our study started from the analisys of specialised data, we have followed the development of the main ecological events and changes which are generally determined by the alterations that happened in the configuration and microclimate of the habitats. The set aims were: creating a data base to reflect the current state of the ecosystems and avicenozas of the two reservations, doing a qualitative and quantitative inventory , studying the fauna from a phenological and bioecological points of view, establishing the degree of endanger and conservation at the local and European level, identifying natural and anthropical factors that have influenced the dynamics of the three fish species population and their habitats as well as finding proper measures of protection and conservation. The team has benefited from the total support of the A.P.M. Calarasi specialists who are our partners in the project (executive director Elena Adrian and head of the biodiversity department Manuela Iordache).

 

 The tench or doctor fish (Tinca tinca)

Cls.Actinopterygi

Ord.Cypriniformes

Fam.Cyprinidae 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                          http://ghidpescuit.ro/specii-de-pesti/din-ape-de-ses/linul/

 

 

 

Description: it lives at the bottom of the clear standing waters whose bottom is muddy. Besides lakes and swamps, it can be found in the eyeholes left behind after the retreat of the Danube waters. Its body length is between 20 and 30 cm, its back part is curved, its stomach is lowered, the heah is short and thick, its mouth is fleshy and it has two small feelers at the corners. The mullets are small and covered in mucus; the finns are rounded and the side line is well marked . Its colour is influenced by the water it lives in; therefore, it is dark green, olive on the back and it becomes yellow-golden on the ribs and abdomen. The colour of the eyes is bright red. It mainly feeds on larvae, worms and insects. It is considered to have disappeared from the anlysed areas but there are plans to reintroduce this species in the AIA Nature Reserve from Ciocanesti.

 

The Red Necked Goose (Branta ruficollis)

Cls.Aves

Ord.Anseriformes 

Fam.Anatidae

Gen Branta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                        http://www.info-delta.ro/

 

 

 

Description: it is one of the smallest and rarest goose species in the world and it is currently considered to be an endangered species, being included in the IUCN red list. In Romania this bird can be found in the North of Lake Razim, the South Lake Sinoe, Lake Fundata, a few locations in the Danube Delta, in the South of Calarasi County. Its body length is between 54-60 cm, it is extremely beautiful red plumed bird. Its neck, chest and side parts are bright tile-coloured and the rest of the plumage is dark colured with white stripes. The beak is short and the neck is quite thick. The legs are grey and the tail is black. It feeds mainly on grass as well as  seeds and insects. It nests in Siberian Russia in the Gydan, Taymir andYamal peninsulas. The male and female mate for life. The female lays in June 3-7 green eggs, incubation lasts for23-25 days. In Romania it comes only at the end of October and it can be sighted until march. The wild red necked goose is an emblematic species for Dobrogea and the specialists at the Calarasi Environmental Protection Agency have followed its route and monitored its state.

 

 The otter (Lutra lutra)

Cls.Mammalia

Ord.Carnivora

Fam.Mustelidae

Gen Lutrinae

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                   https://romanialutra.wordpress.com/vidra-in-romania/

 

 

 

 

Description: this species is 63  to 83 cm long. The otter's average body weight is 6 to 15kg. The female is smaller than the male. Their head is small, flat and wide, the ears are rounded and short; the small eyes have rounded eyeballs. Their feet have five webbed digits and while swimming it uses the hind legs and the tail. The back is dark brown and gluey;  the abdomen it is cinnamon coloured and it has green irisations on the neck and body sides. Otters can stay under the water for 8 minutes, closing their nostrils and ears. They mainly feed on fish and therefore it lives on the wooded banks of rivers and standing waters. It lives for 15-18 years. The otter species is strictly protected on the basis of international legislation and different conventions. It is listed in Appendix I of CITES, Appendix II of the Berna Convention, Appendices II and IV of the Habitat Directive and the EU Species Directive and Appendix I of the Bonn Convention ( the convention regarding the conservation of migrating wild species (CMS), which recommends the highest level of protection. It is highly sensitive to water and environmental quality. The greatest danger that can affect the otter consists in the alterations suffered by its habitat due to the anthropical factor by habitat destruction, pollution, poaching and noise.