Episode 106
Dobar dan, prijatelji!
We hope you’re ready to get up and get movin’, because in this lesson we are going to learn some new action words.
I bet we would hear a bunch of these words on a Croatian playground!
Let’s run, jump and hop to it!
Lesson
to run - trčati
to jump - skočiti
to throw - baciti
to kick - šutnuti
to hit/strike - udarati
to lift up - podizati
Super Slatko Report
In this edition of the Super Slatko Report, DJ Moe will tell us about another one of Croatia’s miracles of nature! If you haven’t heard much about the wonderful bats of Krka National Park, tune in and be amazed!
The Bats of Krka National Park.
Bats Did you know? Facts
Bats are a natural pesticide, one bat can eat anywhere from 500-1000 bugs per hour!
Healthy bat populations are a great bio indicator for an eco systems health.
On the opposite side, a declining bat population could mean that an ecosystem is in poor health, too many pesticides, pollutants, or human activities.
They are also great to have nearby agriculture as they eat a lot of the type of insects that can ruin a crop or even help manage the rodent population, depending on the bat species.
In more tropical parts of the world, bats are responsible for helping to pollinate over 300 species of fruit; including mangoes, bananas, guava, cacao and many more. Fun fact* - All these plants have flowers that only open at night. Bees can’t help in this case as they are only active during the day. These plants flowers are also generally white or dull in color and not vibrant in a way that a bee would recognize.
Now that we know a little more about bats, what’s so special about the bats of Krka National Park.
Out of the 45 bat species Recorded in all of Europe, Croatia has the highest diversity of any country, a record 34 species. 22 of those species live in Krka National park.
Because of this, Krka National Park has been the site for many studies over the years. Here are just a few of the species you’ll find in the park.
Bent wing bat
Long fingered bat
Greater Mouse eared bat
Geoffrey’s bat
Greater Horseshoe bat
And 17 more!
These bats can live in colonies numbering into the thousands, living in caves, caverns and pits.
These bats and other Krka Nataional Park wild life are such a draw that the organization, Operation Wallacea or OpWall for short, has built a dedicated year around research center in conjunction with a Croatian biodiversity organization Biota at the center of Krka National Park. Their focus is to contribute data to help answer questions using scientific methods and help further research goals.
During the bats non-hibernation months, the OpWall team is out collecting valuable data before being released, such as;
species
Sex
Age class
Breeding conditions
Measurements
And even a hair clipping for potential re-identification
All of this happens from when the sun goes down to midnight, during the bats most active periods.
This information is then collected and will be put towards research and conservation needs.
If you’d like to learn more about OpWall and their efforts, please click on the link below. This organization conducts this type of work all over the world and I have to say it’s pretty cool what they’re up to; worth a look for sure.
That’s it for the Super Slatko Report.
