Is new spread of the European beaver in Pannonian basin an evidence of the species recovery?

Abstract: During fieldwork from 6 June to 20 July 2016, the first records of the European beaver (Castor fiber) in south-eastern Slovakia were made. Beavers are mainly nocturnal animals, and as such, they are rarely observed; therefore, our observations were based on searching for beaver presence signs: damaged trees, dams, signs of food consumption (chewed/felled trees) and footprints in the mud. The southern part of the Košická kotlina basin, from the city of Košice down to the state border and the surrounding villages in Hungary, was checked. We found two beaver locations via feeding signs in the vicinity of the Slovakia–Hungary state border, at the villages of Milhosť (Miglécnémeti) and Buzica (Buzita), in Slovakia. According to our calculations, the present total beaver population in Hungary is between 4,000 and 5,000 and 14,600–18,300 beavers with potential support. For Slovakia, we estimated the potential population size to be 7,700–9,600. Our findings in northern Pannonian lowland (Slovakia–Hungary border) are an important evidence of beaver expansion. Although we don’t know the exact origin of investigated population, these new records indicate the possibility of merging the populations of different origin, which could enable gene flow and increase the genetic diversity. This could lead to improved recovery of species and its stabilisation in nature. However, it is necessary to carry out a detailed investigation of the presence of beaver in these regions in future

Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in Slovakia

Haemosporidians are a group of vector-borne parasites belonging to the order Haemosporida. These parasites infect avian hosts and require blood-sucking insects (Diptera) for transmission. The occurrence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites are shaped primarily by the specificity of the parasite and the susceptibility of the host/vector. In this study, the presence and distribution of haemosporidians in blood samples from birds in urbanized and natural habitats were estimated using microscopic and molecular approaches. Birds in urbanized habitats were infected with four different species of Plasmodium, P. relictum, P. vaughani, P. matutinum, and P. circumflexum, and one species of Haemoproteus, H. parabelopolskyi, and Leucocytozoon sp. The species H. attenuatus, H. concavocentralis, H. minutus, H. pallidus, H. noctuae, and H. tartakovskyi were additionally identified in birds in natural habitats. Typically, juvenile birds are essential markers of parasite species transmitted in the study area. The juveniles in the urbanized habitats carried P. relictum, P. vaughani, P. circumflexum, H. parabelopolskyi, and Leucocytozoon species. The most abundant parasite was H. parabelopolskyi, which was found in both habitat types. The prevalence of Haemoproteus/Plasmodium species determined by nested PCR in birds in natural habitats (43.80%; 53/121) was significantly greater than that in birds in urbanized habitats (21.94%; 43/196) (p Leucocytozoon sp. between the habitat types (p > 0.05; 10/121 vs. 19/196)