Due to extreme heat and drying natural springs, the DOMiNO councilor calls for urgent action following the example of Pula, where firefighters have already helped.
Due to the prolonged heatwave and extremely high temperatures affecting Zadar, DOMiNO councilor Blanka Klasić has issued an urgent appeal to the City of Zadar. She requests that, in cooperation with Croatian Forests and the Zadar Public Fire Brigade, immediate measures be taken to secure water for wild animals in the Musapstan park-forest.
Klasić pointed out that natural water sources and puddles in Musapstan have dried up, and she, along with several other citizens, has been manually carrying water into the forest for days. "A few of us citizens have been manually carrying water into the forest for days to help the wild animals, but such a method of help is not sustainable in the long run nor can it meet the needs of all animals in this area," the councilor stated for Antena Zadar.
Therefore, she considers it necessary to involve the competent services to ensure water is provided at key locations in a timely manner during the heatwave.
The councilor warns that the search for water forces animals out of their habitats, increasing risks. "As a result, animals are forced to leave their natural habitats in search of water, more frequently entering urban settlements, gardens, and yards, and venturing onto roads, which increases the danger for both them and citizens," Klasić said in her letter.
She cited Pula as a model of swift and effective intervention. There, during a similar heatwave, firefighters filled a natural puddle with water, thus providing wild animals with access to water. Klasić suggests that the City of Zadar urgently consider the same possibility of filling existing natural puddles in Musapstan.
Additionally, she advocates for a long-term solution. She proposes that the City, in cooperation with Croatian Forests and other institutions, consider establishing permanent or temporary watering points in the park-forest area. "I believe that such an initiative would represent a small financial expense but a great contribution to the protection of wild animals, the preservation of biodiversity, and the City's responsible attitude towards one of its most valuable natural areas," concluded the councilor.
