Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 32-34. (2014)

Paleontology

ABOUT THE FORMER PRESENCE OF THE GREAT BUSTARD IN PRAHOVA AND BUZÄU DISTRICTS

Sorin GEACU

Academia Romána, Institutul de Geografie Str. Dimitrie Racovifä, nr. 12, RO - 023993 Bucurejti

Abstract: The Great Bustard is the most robust bird in Romania’s fauna. In Prahova district, the species became extinct in the 1950s, in Buzäu district the last specimens were seen in 1983.

Keywords: Otis tarda, L. 1758, extinction, Prahova and Buzäu districts, Romania.

Introduction

The Great Bustard (Order Gruiformes, family Otitidae) is the most robust bird in Romania’s fauna. Until 30 years ago, the symbol of the steppe, had lived in the two counties (Särata Plain - Prahova and Central Bärägan and Rarnnic plains - Buzäu) at altitudes of 50-90 m.

Materials and methods

The data have been collected in a survey among hunters and locals, as well as from the archives of cynegetic institutions.

Results and discussions

Prahova district

Rather small flocks of Great Bustard used to populate only the south-eastern parts of the county, the largest group (34 specimens) being observed near Colceag Village on January 13, 1929.

The biggest male Bustard (17 kg) was shot dead (by a hunter from Ploie§ti City), on the territory of Sälciile Commune in the spring of 1935 (Soare, 1942).

The Report No. 32 of January 30, 1939 sent by the Prahova district Hunting Inspectorate to the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Fund outlined that the restrictions imposed on hunting this bird led to its proliferation the glazed frost of December 1938 affecting the flock. The Prahova Hunting Inspectorate intervened from the very first snowdays at the local genderme posts of Fulga, Ciorani, Sälciile and Adäncata communes “where whole flocks of Great Bustards were gathered, asking them to oversee the locals lest they should catch the birds on the glazed soil ”. For all that, the inhabitants of Ciorani and Sälciile villages “did catch a large number of Great Bustards from the fields, clubbed them to death, took them home and pickled them” (Ploie§ti National Archives, Prahova district Hunting Inspectorate, Dos. 1/1939, folio 314).

M A R I S I A, XXXIII-XXXIV, p. 147-152