Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

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Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Ronald Zimmerman » Fri May 20, 2016 9:16 pm

Two weeks ago I went to Poland to see the primeval Białowieża Forest and the wildlife in that area. The European Bison (Bison bonasus) was my main target to see in the wild. It was not really a die-hard herping trip. My friends are more into birding, so it was an allround trip.

You can find the complete story with text and photos here: http://ronaldzimmerman.nl/poland-2016-b ... za-forest/

1. European Bison (Bison bonasus)
Image

2. Common Toad (Bufo bufo)
Image

3. Eastern Tree Frog (Hyla orientalis) in situ
Image

4. Eastern Tree Frog (Hyla orientalis)
Image

5. Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis argus) in situ
Image

6. Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis argus) in situ
Image

7. European Fire-bellied Toad (Bombina bombina)
Image

8.Grass Snake (Natrix natrix)
Image
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Re: Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Mario Schweiger » Sat May 21, 2016 5:28 am

this agilis has a very nice coloration ;)
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Re: Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Berislav Horvatic » Sat May 21, 2016 12:42 pm

A beautiful report indeed.

The last wild European Bison in Białowieża Forest was killed in 1921.

According to an old (1988) but excellent Russian book on mammals I have, this was something utterly
ironical, beyond any reasonable expectations.
The last surviving individual, a cow, was killed in February 1921 by a former FORESTER, whose duty
had been (all his life!) to PROTECT those animals... He managed to track her down and just sent a
few bullets into her... just a piece of cake indeed for such an experienced & local forester. (Even
the name of the guy is known: Bartolomeus Špakovič. Strongly hope he doesn't R. I. P.)
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Re: Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Michal Szkudlarek » Sat May 21, 2016 1:40 pm

great pics
btw is offspring of a pair H. orientalis x H. arborea fertile?
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Re: Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Jeroen Speybroeck » Tue May 24, 2016 7:49 am

Michal Szkudlarek wrote:great pics
btw is offspring of a pair H. orientalis x H. arborea fertile?

That's a good question to which I think there is no solid answer (yet). The alleged contact zone in Poland has been studied in a (very) recent paper that I sent to Mario just now, so will be up in his database soon.

Note that it's often not black or white (i.e. reproductive isolation complete versus fully interfertile), but by my book there should be some restricted gene flow at least.

There's also the contact zone between two Anguis taxa in central Poland...
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Re: Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Mario Schweiger » Tue May 24, 2016 8:58 am

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:The alleged contact zone in Poland has been studied in a (very) recent paper that I sent to Mario just now, so will be up in his database soon.

.... online since weeks :lol: PDF-9050
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Re: Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Jeroen Speybroeck » Tue May 24, 2016 11:33 am

Mario Schweiger wrote:
Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:The alleged contact zone in Poland has been studied in a (very) recent paper that I sent to Mario just now, so will be up in his database soon.

.... online since weeks :lol: PDF-9050

Of course... :oops: ;)
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Re: Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Aleksandar Simovic » Tue May 24, 2016 6:59 pm

Nice report and Bison is great!
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Re: Poland 2016: Białowieża Forest

Postby Ronald Zimmerman » Thu May 26, 2016 9:44 pm

Mario Schweiger wrote:this agilis has a very nice coloration ;)

Yes a very contrasty one :)

Berislav Horvatic wrote:A beautiful report indeed.

The last wild European Bison in Białowieża Forest was killed in 1921.

According to an old (1988) but excellent Russian book on mammals I have, this was something utterly
ironical, beyond any reasonable expectations.
The last surviving individual, a cow, was killed in February 1921 by a former FORESTER, whose duty
had been (all his life!) to PROTECT those animals... He managed to track her down and just sent a
few bullets into her... just a piece of cake indeed for such an experienced & local forester. (Even
the name of the guy is known: Bartolomeus Špakovič. Strongly hope he doesn't R. I. P.)

Thank you!
Sounds like an interesting story. :)

Michal Szkudlarek wrote:great pics
btw is offspring of a pair H. orientalis x H. arborea fertile?

Thank you!

Jeroen Speybroeck wrote:
Michal Szkudlarek wrote:great pics
btw is offspring of a pair H. orientalis x H. arborea fertile?

That's a good question to which I think there is no solid answer (yet). The alleged contact zone in Poland has been studied in a (very) recent paper that I sent to Mario just now, so will be up in his database soon.

Note that it's often not black or white (i.e. reproductive isolation complete versus fully interfertile), but by my book there should be some restricted gene flow at least.

There's also the contact zone between two Anguis taxa in central Poland...

NIce, something to read :)

Aleksandar Simovic wrote:Nice report and Bison is great!

Thanks! The big bulls that came out of the forest at the end of the day were definitely a highlight :D
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