Rare butterfly discovered

During a joint excursion to a nature conservation stepping stone area with representatives of the Gesäuse and Kalkalpen National Parks and colleagues from the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area last week, a specimen of the rare and highly endangered Augsburg bear was found. The stepping stone area is located between the Gesäuse and Kalkalpen National Parks and is owned by the Austrian Federal Forests.

The Augsburg bear is a moth from the bear moth subfamily and reaches a size of 65 to 80 millimeters. In Europe, it only occurs in isolated populations. It is considered a cultural refugee and is listed as an endangered species in the Austrian Red List. The Augsburg bear is representative of a whole range of species for which the distance between the protected areas is too great and which only have the chance of sustainable large-scale dispersal in the northern Limestone Alps through unused old forests. In addition to insects, these include the Ural owl and the Bechstein's bat.

Stepping stone areas are forests between protected areas that are kept free of use by contract and are intended to enable genetic exchange between isolated populations. They are immensely important for the preservation of biodiversity, as species without contact to neighboring populations can quickly become genetically impoverished and easily die out.
These biotopes are an important building block in the fight against habitat fragmentation, which is considered one of the main threats to biodiversity. The recent discovery during a joint inspection underlines the importance of these stepping stones and serves as confirmation of the success of the concept.

Quote from Gesäuse National Park:
"There is an isolated but stable occurrence of this rare moth in the Gesäuse National Park. It is therefore very pleasing that we have now also been able to discover it at an ecological stepping stone in the region. With such small populations, networking is an important aspect that contributes to the long-term survival of the species," says Alexander Maringer from the nature conservation department of the Gesäuse National Park, underlining the importance of the discovery.

Quote from the Dürrenstein - Lassingtal Wilderness Area:
"The recent detection of the rare moth Arctia matronula ("Augsburg Bear") confirms the outstanding importance of large-scale, strictly protected natural areas. The species has also already been recorded in the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal wilderness area - proof of the effectiveness of protected area networks as refuges for endangered species. Strictly protected core zones and functional stepping stone biotopes that enable genetic exchange are needed to permanently preserve populations such as that of the Augsburg bear. The discovery underlines the need for consistent protection and networking strategies in Central Europe," says Deputy Managing Director Katharina Pfligl of the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area.

Quote from Kalkalpen National Park:
"The discovery of the Augsburg bear underlines the extraordinary importance of the stepping stones as a measure of networking between the protected areas. The connection between the large protected areas of the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area and the Gesäuse and Kalkalpen National Parks through the stepping stones is proving to be a successful concept," states National Park Director Josef Forstinger.

BMLUK quote:
"The discovery of the rare 'Augsburg bear' impressively demonstrates how important so-called stepping stone areas are for the conservation of endangered species. Through targeted measures such as the ecological networking of protected areas, we actively create valuable habitats and promote genetic exchange - together with the landowners and on a voluntary basis. Investments in protected area networks and stepping stone biotopes are a benefit for biodiversity and a sustainable contribution to the preservation of our natural environment. I am delighted that we are able to support such forward-looking projects with the BMLUK's Forest Fund and Biodiversity Fund," said Environment Minister Norbert Totschnig.

Your contact for further questions:

Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area: Katharina Pfligl, katharina.pfligl@wildnisgebiet.at
Gesäuse National Park: Andreas Hollinger, a.hollinger@nationalpark-gesaeuse.at
Kalkalpen National Park: Barbara Sitter, barbara.sitter@kalkalpen.at