Nasz serwis używa plików cookies, aby lepiej spełniać Państwa wymagania. Szczegółowe informacje o plikach cookies można znaleźć w naszej Polityce Prywatności. Kontynuując przeglądanie serwisu bez zmian ustawień przeglądarki akceptują Państwo zapisywanie plików cookies.

version_lang_pl version_lang_en version_lang_de

Amphibians and reptiles

A large amount of mid-forest and meadow lakes, as well as the protection of their places of inhabitation and reproduction makes it possible that most of the amphibians and reptiles of Poland are present in the DNP area. Besides the green and brown frogs there are three species of toad native to Poland, two species of newt, firebelly toads, and the very rare in this region tree frog. Common spadefoot is still numerous in the fields. The fauna of Drawa Wilderness reptiles is especially worthy of attention. Several stations of the rarest of Polish reptiles – the European pond turtle – can be found here. Avery rare in the Pomeranian region smooth snake had been noted near the Park borders. Adder can be found in several singled-out stations. They are accompanied by the more popular grass snake, slow-worm, sand lizard, and common lizard.

All reptiles and amphibians, as animals more and more rare in Poland, are under strict specie preservation.

  • Common newt – Triturus vulgaris (L.); a specie numerously present in the entire Park area, however most common in the small fishless ponds.
    A significant number of this specie has also been noted in many places located along the lakes in the eastern part of the Park. In the lake waters this specie is also present, however much less numerously because of the large amount of fish. Their presence can be noticed during the short nuptial season. Compared to other lakes, the nuptial period in these ones is relatively short and followed by the adult specimen leaving the lakes. In some stations representatives of this specie were mating in shallow peat depressions and in larger puddles.
  • Crested newt – Triturus cristatus (Laur.); a moderately numerous specie living in the entire Park area. Similarly to other kinds of newt, this one becomes food for larger carnivorous fish and many species of mammals, therefore stations of crested newt have been found in small and average bodies of still water. In large lakes (Ostrowiec, Płociczno, Czarne, Piaseczno Duże, and Piaseczno Małe) its presence has been found only in the near-coastal parts that are very overgrown with underwater vegetation.

    Tailless amphibians Salientia

Small toads family Discoglossidae

  • Firebelly toad – Bombina bombina (L.); a specie rare and endangered not only in Poland, but also in most of Europe. Noted in four stations in the Park area: near Lake Ostrowiec, near Lake Moczel in Rynna Moczelska, in a small peatbog pond by Półwysep Dębowy and by Głodne Jeziorka.
    Newts family Pelobatidae
  • Common spadefoot – Pelobates fuscus (Laur.); its presence has been determined both by the existence of spawn and adult specimens, in the Rynna Moczelska area. Besides this station it is also and more numerously present in the Barnimie area. Probably it can also be seen in other parts of the Park, however due to its hiding lifestyle it is difficult to observe in such a short time.
    Toads family Bufonidae
  • Common toad – Bufo bufo (L.); is a common and often seen specie, present in the entire area in question. In the mating season it can be observed in all still and running water bodies, with the exception of rivers with fast currents.
    During the period of active land life young and adult specimens of B. bufo have been seen in places located faraway from water bodies, even in dry pine forests.
  • Green toad – Bufo viridis (Laur.); is a specie less frequent than the previous one, but similarly to it present in the entire area in question. On the basis of sounds and behaviour during their mating season, several stations of this toad have been established throughout the Park. Its largest concentrations during the mating season are in the northeastern part of the Park (Camp Podegrodzie, Camp Konotop, Camp Zatom, and Camp Barnimie), the northwestern part of the Park (River Płociczna to Lake Sitno and Lakes Głodne Jeziorka), and in the southern part (Drawa to the Płociczna estuary). As a specie most resistant to parching among our amphibians, outside of the mating season it can be seen in dry pine regions surrounding swamps, ponds, and other bodies of still water, as well as far away from the water.
  • Natterjack toad – Bufo calamita (Laur.); a specie noted in three stations, mostly in the eastern part of the Park: Camp Barnimie, near Podegrodzie and Konotop. Its station located furthest to the north is in the western part of the Park, near Lake Sitno.
    Tree frogs family Hylidae
  • Tree frog – Hyla arborea (l.); its existence has been confirmed on the basis of its mating season noises. Its station is located within the DNP borders, in overgrown ponds on the left side of the road leading to Głusko.
    True frogs family Ranidae
  • Pool frog – Rana lessonae (Camerano); a popular amphibian whose stations have been confirmed to exist in many locations scattered throughout the Park. It often lives in peat areas where there is a low pH of 5,0 – 5,9 pH.
  • Water frog – Rana esculenta (L.); a popular amphibian. It creates large populations in appropriates conditions. It is seen along with the two remaining frog species.
  • Laughing frog – Rana ridibunda (Pall.); is one of the often-seen species, but doesn’t create very large populations. Its largest concentrations have been found in the lake stretchm beginning with Lake Czarne, through Lake Ostrowiec, Lake Płociczno, Lake Piaseczno Duże, Lake Wydrowe, Lake Jamno, Lake Marta, Lake Płociowe to Lake Sitno. Besides those location some singled out specimens have been seen in other organizational units.
  • Common frog – Rana temporaria (L.); a popular and numerous species, seen throughout the area with the exception of very dry places.
  • Swamp frog – Rana arvalis (Nills.); a very popular species seen throughout the entire Park area.

REPTILES Reptilia

Freshwater turtles family Emydidae

  • European pond turtle – Emys orbicularis (L.). A station of the European pond turtle in the Drawa National Park is undoubtedly rudimental. Several to a little over a dozen of adult (old) specimens are present here. Their main station is located in the Żółwia Kłoć Reserve, where 2 specimens have been found (females), and others have been seen in open waters of Lake Ostrowiec. Because of the interconnections between many lakes in these parts, and because of migrations of adult turtles in search of mates, they might be present in other parts, as well.
    The female observed in the Żółwia Kłoć Reserve was pregnant. The eggs were already in an advanced stage. The other specimen was seen in the stretch of reeds.
    During research a nest with three eggs in it had been found, however it was tumbled up and the eggs damaged, probably by a raccoon-dog or a fox. In the nearest surroundings of the Park, turtles are famous to be present in Lake Szczuczarz. Their presence there was noted in the 1920’s and confirmed in the 1970’s.
    The presence of several turtles has been noted in several stations in the Drawa Lake District.
    Lizards family Lacertidae
  • Sand lizard – Lacerta agilis (L.); it is surprising that this specie, known to form very large (several dozen) colonies in other parts of the country, is not a popular one in the area in question. In some open spaces it forms concentrations, which assures of the good condition of the local populations, however they are not large.
    It is relatively most numerous in the western part of the Park, inhabiting open spaces, fields, forest edges, and moors. Inside the Park, even in typical for this specie conditions of sunny, spacious meadows (for example in the 306 square) it is not present.
  • Common lizard – Lacerta vivipara (Jacquin); is one of the most popular amphibians in this area. It has found comfortable living conditions here due to the abundance of swampy and wet lands. In some places it is very numerous, with the exception of dry coniferous forests, where it can be seen more rarely, and not at all in some places.
    Legless lizards family Anguidae
  • Slow worm – Anguis fragilis (L.); is the most common specie in the Drawa National Park. It has been confirmed in several dozen of stations throughout the Park. In some of these stations, ex. Buczyna Radęcin, Półwysep Dębowy, Bory Bogdanka, Bory Sitnica, or Bory Głusko, during intensive searches over a dozen specimens could be found in one day.
    Snakes family Colubridae
  • Grass snake – Natrix natrix (L.); a snake specie popular both on a national scale and in the DNP area. Especially numerous near mid-sized and small water bodies rich in green frogs. The largest concentration of grass snake were found in the southern part of the Park and along the entire strip of lakes in the eastern part of the Park.
    Snakes family Colubridae
  • Smooth snake – Coronella austriaca (Laur.); there is a lack of decisive data that there are smooth snakes in the DNP area. While researching this area one specimen was found near Drawno. A presence of another smooth snake was noted in 1998 near Jaźwiny (outside of the Park borders). Observations conducted near a potential smooth snake station did not confirm its presence.
    Vipers family Viperidae
  • Common viper (adder) – Vipera berus (L.); its presence was confirmed in the Drawa river valley. They were males of the typical grey-silver colouration with a zigzag pattern distinct from the background. It has also been heard that common vipers were seen near the forester’s lodge in Rogoźnica (outside of the DNP borders). This means that the common viper is present in the Drawa National Park, however is not very often seen. Most probably it is a rare specie in this area
Drukuj