PONDS CREATED THROUGH LIFE AMPHICON RETAINED WATER ON RADENSKO POLJE DURING DROUGHT

From 1 to 8 August 2026, Radensko Polje hosted BERT, a biology and ecology research camp organised by the Natural Sciences Students’ Association. The camp included a group focusing on amphibians and reptiles. We introduced the students to the objectives of the LIFE AMPHICON project and the measures implemented on Radensko Polje, then visited the ponds created to improve amphibian habitats.

During their fieldwork, the group surveyed ponds and other aquatic habitats in the park to record where water remained. Following the August drought, water was found only in some of the ponds excavated through the project in the surveyed part of Radensko Polje. No water was recorded in the other aquatic habitats surveyed. This finding highlights the importance of ponds that retain water during dry periods. In addition to providing habitat for amphibians, they serve as a water source for other animals.

Footage from wildlife cameras placed near the ponds on Radensko Polje throughout this year provides further evidence of their wider role. The cameras recorded visits by a range of animals. Some use the ponds as a source of water or food, while others stop there as they move through the area. Selected footage is available in this short video.

https://youtu.be/G1qH8VIglUc?si=Cp0Apv17exc29ao2 

The students’ fieldwork and the camera footage show the broader value of the ponds created through LIFE AMPHICON. By retaining water during dry periods, they help maintain aquatic habitats and water sources, contributing to the biodiversity of Radensko Polje.

Photo: A. Skledar