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Friday, January 27, 2012

A New Edition of the Book about Estonian wildlife is now available on ENT Webshop!

"Estonia - the Heart of European Wildlife"


Marketing literature has proven to be very successful in the world's largest eco-tourism trade show, British Birdfair, as well as other sales activities in Europe. This is by far the best advocacy publication about nature values and conservation in Estonia. The book focuses on the species and habitats that are disappearing or absent elsewhere in Europe. That kind of approach - Why Estonia? - helps Estonians to distinguish themselves from other countries in Europe setting out the the reasons why nature-lovers from around the world should definitely visit Estonia. Although the title is intriguing, the content is fully relevant.
This beautifully designed book is also appropriate as a gift for foreign visitors.

Request a book at our webshop...

To see is to believe - happy reading!
Selected pages can be viewed below.

ISBN: 978-9949-21-979-7
Compilers: Marika Mann, Tarvo Valker
Design: Tuuli Mann
Binding: stapling through the centrefold paperback
Pages: 18
Publisher: NGO Loodusturismikeskus
Publication date: 20.09.2011

Shipping information:

We are shipping via International registered maxi letters

"Estonia- the heart of European Wildlife" – 6,00 € + shipping

To Europe:
up to 3 books = 4,00 €
4-6 books = 6,00 €
(including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Spain, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Portugal, France, Sweden, Romania, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, Great Britain Switzerland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary, Belarus, Russia)

To rest of the world:
up to 3 books = 4,50 €
4-6 books = 8,00 €

For further questions and larger amounts, please email us: info@naturetours.ee

Preview of selected pages:
Click here if you can not see the text




Special New Year offer for Bird Watching Readers!


For more information, and to book click here and use the special code – 533 1KAH – to get your exclusive Bird Watching discount.

Estonian Nature Tours are making a special New Year offer to Bird Watching readers, with a spring birdwatching tour of the Baltic country, between May 11 and 18, available for just 995 Euros (about £830) per person.

A variety of other birdwatching, butterfly, botanical, mammal watching, wildlife photography and nature study trips in the unspoiled landscapes of Estonia are also available.

Visit one of the most beautiful countries in Europe!

We have a wonderful photo-gallery of Estonian nature. Share the gallery also with your friends.
Click here to see it...

Variety of our trips: Tour calendar 2012...

Fantastic New Year´s offer!

See also some videos of Estonian nature here...

For the latest news and best travel offers:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EstonianNature
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EstonianNature
Blog: http://estoniannature.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Õppereis Virumaale 11.-12. jaanuar


































European Mink is Critically Endangered / Euroopa naarits on äärmiselt ohustatud liik

European Mink / Wikipedia

On November 10th, 2011 the IUCN Red List Working Group (www.redlist.org) publicized the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, that illustrates the efforts undertaken by the organization and its partners to review by now more than 61,900 species, results of the assessment of their conditions and conservation status. According to this evaluation European Mink was moved to the ‘critically endangered’ category, which means that the species is considered to be in etremely high risk of extinction. 8 more carnivore species throughout the whole world are in similar risk category. In Europe all together 4 mammal species, among them 2 carnivores share the same status: Iberian Lynx and Mediterranean Monk Seal. From all Estonian fauna only European Eel is in the same category.

Moving European Mink into the critically endangered category does not mean so rapid worsening of this species’ state from the previous assessment in 1996. Even then it was quite clear that it deserves higher conservation degree, but due to the lack of adequate field data from Russia it was impossible to prove the presumption and the European Mink was left in the lower category of ‘endangered’ species. Now the real situation is quite clear and the assessment is available on the Red Data site:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/14018/0


European Mink / Jonathan Hall


In Estonia remarkable results have been achieved in conservation activities of the species. As much as half of global artificial population of European Mink is kept in Tallinn Zoo and one of the most successful special protection activities is repopulation of the species to the Hiiumaa Island. By now similar activities have taken place in Spain, Germany and France.

Source: Tiit Maran, Chairperson of the Foundation Lutreola

In May 2010 Jonathan Hall, www.mammalwatching.com , was thinking about trying to see a Eurasian Flying Squirrel and not having much luck getting information on where to look in Finland. And then Estonian Promotional tour report arrived. It was a sign for Jon. A few days later he had arranged a long weekend to look for the Squirrel and also European Mink. „Estonia has the potential to become one of the best, if not the best destinations in Europe to see large mammals,“ he said after the trip.
Read his tour report here...

Read more about BBC Wildlife and mammalwatching.com visit to Estonia here...

European Mink / Wikipedia

Euroopa naarits on äärmiselt ohustatud liik

10. Novembril 2011. avalikustas Maailma Looduskaitseliidu Punase Raamatu
toimkond (www.redlist.org) oma selleaastase liikide seisundi hinnangute kaasajastamise tulemused. Selle hindamisega on nüüdseks objektiivsete kriteeriumite järgi hinnatud maailmas kokku 61 900 liigi liigikaitseline olukord.

Seekordse hindamise tulemusel tõsteti Euroopa naarits äärmiselt ohustatud
liigi (critically endangered) kategooriasse. Sinna kuulumine tähendab, et liiki peetakse äärmiselt suures väljasuremisohus olevaks. Kõikidest maailma kiskjatest peetakse sama kriitilises seisus olevaks veel kaheksat kiskjaliiki. Euroopas on kõikidest imetajatest naaritsa kõrval nii kehvas seisus neli ja kiskjatest kaks liiki: ibeeria ilves ja vahemere munkhüljes. Eesti faunas esinevatest liikidest on samasse kategooriasse praeguseks veel arvatud vaid angerjas. Naaritsa nihutamine äärmiselt ohustatud liigiks ei tähenda otseselt seda, et, alates eelmisest liigi seisundi globaalsest hindamisest 1996. aastal, oleks ta olukord hüppeliselt halvenenud. Ka siis avaldati kahtlust, et naarits võib tegelikult kuuluda äärmiselt ohustatud liik, kuid küllaldaste andmete puudumine Venemaalt ei võimaldanud seda tõestada ning naarits jäeti madalamasse, eriti ohustatud (endangered) liikide kategooriasse. Tänavuses hinnangus sisalduvad varem puudunud andmed ning see võimaldas esile tuua liigi tegeliku seisundi.

Naaritsa praegune ohustatuse hinnang on kättesaadav Punase nimistu
kodulehelt:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/14018/0

Eestis tehtud naaritsa alalhoiualasel tegevusel on märkimisväärne roll selle liigi kaitsel. Tallinna loomaaias peetakse ligi poolt naaritsa globaalsest tehisasurkonnast ning Hiiumaal naaritsa asurkonna loomine on üks edukamaid naaritsa liigikaitselisi ettevõtmisi. Tänaseks on samalaadsed liigikaitselisi ettevõtmisi algatatud ka Hispaanias, Saksamaal ja Prantsusmaal.

Allikas: Tiit Maran SA Lutreola juhataja

Visit one of the most beautiful countries in Europe

We have created a new opportunity for our partners (tourism agencies and accommodation places) to help them make a better marketing about Estonia. Read more...

Oleme loonud oma koostööpartneritele uue võimaluse, mis aitab paremini klientidele Eesti loodust tutvustada. Võimalus on mõeldud kasutamiseks ainult linkidena kodulehtedel, uudiskirjades, Facebookis, Twitteris ja Blogis viitega Estonian Nature Tours´i blogile. Palume pilte galeriist mitte kopeerida, kuna meil puudub selleks võimaluseks luba (oleme ostnud pildid loodusfotograafidelt ja ei saa neid kasutada piiramatult). Loe edasi...

Copyright: Sven Zacek

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Fantastic New Year's offer!


For futher information on any of Wildlife trips we have on offer, plus booking details, terms and conditions please visit www.naturetours.ee and choose TOUR CALENDAR from the left menu. Or you can phone or email us for detailed itineraries - tel: +372 5349 6695 / e-mail: info@naturetours.ee

Visit one of the most beautiful countries in Europe!

For the latest news and best travel offers:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EstonianNature
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EstonianNature

Monday, January 16, 2012

Aasta lind 2012 on tüll / Bird of the year 2012 is Plover

Tüll (väike- ja liivatüll)

Liivatüll / Ringed Plover / Wikipedia

Eesti Ornitoloogiaühing valis 2012. aasta linnuks tüllid. Eestis pesitseb neid kaks liiki – liivatüll ja väiketüll. Nad on välimuselt väga sarnased, kuid eluviisilt erinevad: liivatüll on levinud rannikul, väiketüll elutseb aga peamiselt tehismaastikes. Mõlemaid pesitseb Eestis umbes 1000-2000 paari ning nad on ka väikesearvulised läbirändajad. Kui väiketülli arvukus püsib pärast suurt langust 1990. aastatel Eestis ja kogu Euroopas stabiilsena, siis liivatülli arvukus on viiekümne aasta jooksul vähenenud neli korda ning vähenemine jätkub.

Väiketüll / Little Ringed Plover / RSPB

Ehkki nad tegutsevad sageli inimeste läheduses, ei tunta neid liike kuigi hästi ja nende elust teatakse üsna vähe nii meil kui mujal Euroopas. Tegemist on põnevate lindudega, kelle omapärane käitumine ja pesitsusbioloogia väärivad suuremat tähelepanu. Seetõttu on tüllide aastal kavas koos linnuhuvilistega uurida ja tutvustada tüllide elu, elupaiku, pesitsusökoloogiat ja rännet.

Eesti Ornitoloogiaühing valis aasta linnu juba 18. korda. Aasta linnu valimise eesmärk on tutvustada avalikkusele üht meil esinevat linnuliiki või liigirühma ning kaasata loodushuvilisi aasta linnu uurimisse ja kaitsesse. Käesoleva aasta ja varasemate aasta lindudega saab tutvuda EOÜ kodulehel www.eoy.ee/aastalind.

Allikas: Eesti Ornitoloogiaühing


Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover


Väiketüll / Little Ringed Plover / Wikipedia

Plovers were chosen by Estonian Ornithological Society to be the birds of the year 2012. There are two of them breeding in Estonia - Ringed Plover and Little Ringed Plover. They are very similar in their external look, but with different way of living. Ringed Plover is prevalent on the coast, as Little Ringed Plover has spread mainly in cultural and artificial landscapes. The number of both species in Estonia stays between 1000 and 2000 breeding pairs and there is also a small number of migrating birds. While the number of Little Ringed Plover has stabilized in Estonia as throughout Europe after the big decline in 1990-ies, then the number of Ringed Plover has fallen four times during the latest 50 years and they continue to decrease.

Liivatüll / Ringed Plover / Wikipedia

Although these birds occupy areas quite close to human settlement, people commonly do not recognize them readily, neither do they know much about their activities and this holds here as well as in the whole Europe. Nevertheless these are pretty amazing birds, whose peculiar habits and breeding ecology deserve much more attention. Therefore the plans are to together with bird-lovers to research the life-cycle, habitats, breeding ecology and migration of Plovers and introduce them to the wider audience.

Estonian Ornithological Society has elected different birds of the year for 18 years already. The purpose of these choices have been to introduce a bird species or a group of species and involve nature lovers in the research activities and protection of that particular subject. One can find material about all these species from the homesite of EOÜ (Estonian Ornithological Society) at www.eoy.ee/aastalind

Source: Estonian Ornithological Society

Friday, January 6, 2012

Uued liigid 2011 / New Species 2011

Kanada kurg, Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) / Wikipedia

Eelmisel aastal leidsid teadlased kokku 39 seni Eesti floorale ja faunale varem tundmatut liiki.

Tänavu registreeritud uute liikide seas annavad tooni seni meie looduses avastamata samblikud - nende nimistu täienes pea paarikümne liigi võrra. Enamik kaardile kantud samblikest ja sammaldest on juba aastaid varem leitud, kuid kuna nende liigi määramine on aeganõudev, jõuti need ametlikult kinnitada alles sel aastal. Arvukamalt lisandus liiginimestikku ka uusi liblikaid – koguni kümme uut liiki. Kui näiteks samblikuliike on Eestist leitud juba üle 950 ja erinevaid liblikaid üle 2400, siis Eestis nähtud linnuliikide hulk tõusis tänu kahele kaugele eksikülalisele 382-ni.

Vee-elukad: elegantne krevett (Palaemon elegans), pruunvetikas (Punctaria tenuissima), dinoflagellaat (prorocentrum lima), harrise mudakrabi (Rhithropanopeus harrisii)

Linnud: sõnnpea-sõtkas (Bucephala albeola), kanada kurg (Grus canadensis)

Liblikad: Coleophora prunifoliae, Scrobipalpa murinella, Oegoconia deauratella, Dichrorampha teichiana, Ecpyrrhorrhoe rubiginalis, Eublemma purpurina, Catocala electa, Coleophora obscuripalpella, Coleophora ptarmicia, Monochroa arundinetella

Seened: Pilati riisikas (Lactarius pilatii)

Pilati riisikas, Milkcap (Lactarius pilatii) / Wikipedia

Taimed: Vesitarn (Carex aquatilis)

Samblad: flörke ümarkupar (Microbryum floerkeanum), Lecanora epibryon, lubi-rähksamblik (Catapyrenium daedaleum), madjari porosamblik (Cladonia magyarica), Lecania sambucina, Polyblastia sendtner, Stirtoni krussik (Zygodon stirtonii), Lecanora zasterae, Catillaria atomarioidesm Lecanora persimilis, Micarea lithinella, Opegrapha calcarea, Thelidium papulare, Verrucaria hochstetteri, Agonimia vouauxii, Staurothele rupifraga, Lecania sylvestris, Kuldne turbasammal (Sphagnum pulchrum), Lepraria celata, tardsamblik (Leptogium intermedium), Arthonia arthonioides, Arnelli allikasammal (Philonotis arnelli), mägikeerik (Syntrichia montana), Lecanora zasterae.

Allikas: Ulvar Käärt / Eesti Päevaleht 05.01.2012 (artikli sisu lühendatud kujul)

New Species 2011

Sõnnpea-sõtkas, Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) / Wikipedia

Last year scientists discovered all together 39 so far undetected species, new to Estonia’s flora and fauna.

Among the newly registered species the largest proportion belongs to lichens – their list was complemented with almost couple of dozens species. Major part of the lichens and mosses, registered on the map, have been first found years ago, but since exact determination is time-consuming, the new species were officially confirmed no later than this year. The number of new butterfly taxons was also remarkable – outright 10 new species. While there are over 950 lichen species and about 2400 butterfly and moth species in Estonia, then the total number of bird species reached 382 due to 2 new accidental visitors.

Water creatures: Elegant Shrimp (Palaemon elegans), brown alga (Punctaria tenuissima), dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum lima), Estuarine (Harris’) mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii)

Birds: Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)

Butterflies: Coleophora prunifoliae, Scrobipalpa murinella, Oegoconia deauratella, Dichrorampha teichiana, Ecpyrrhorrhoe rubiginalis, Eublemma purpurina, Catocala electa, Coleophora obscuripalpella, Coleophora ptarmicia, Monochroa arundinetella


Ecpyrrhorrhoe rubiginalis / Wikipedia

Fungi: Milkcap (Lactarius pilatii)

Plants: Water Sedge (Carex aquatilis)

Mosses: Microbryum floerkeanum, Lecanora epibryon, Earth Lichen (Catapyrenium daedaleum), Cup Lichen (Cladonia magyarica), Lecania sambucina, Polyblastia sendtner, Zygodon stirtonii, Lecanora zasterae, Catillaria atomarioidesm Lecanora persimilis, Micarea lithinella, Opegrapha calcarea, Thelidium papulare, Verrucaria hochstetteri, Agonimia vouauxii, Staurothele rupifraga, Lecania sylvestris, Sphagnum pulchrum, Lepraria celata, Leptogium intermedium, Arthonia arthonioides, Arnell's Apple-moss (Philonotis arnelli), Intermediate screw moss (Syntrichia montana), Lecanora zasterae.

Source: Ulvar Käärt / Eesti Päevaleht 05.01.2012 (original text abbreviated)