Life Insubricus Urgent Tender

Duration 01-OCT-2020 to 31-DEC -2026Total budget 5215092.00 EU contribution 3909739.00 Project descriptionBackgroundCommonly known as the Italian spadefoot Pelobates fuscus insubricus is a subspecies of the common spadefoot toad whose historic range included northern Italy a small part of Switzerland the canton of Ticino and Croatia. Italian spadefoot toad populations have the highest levels of genetic variability. Although the species was reported in 26 Natura 2000sites inthe past two decades it has only been confirmed in 15 sites eight in Piedmont two in Lombardy two in Veneto and three in Emilia-Romagna. The subspecies is considered to be endangered at the Italian level in the last national report required under the EUs Habitats Directive its conservation status was assessed as unfavourable-bad U2 with an overall negative trend.ObjectivesThe LIFE-INSUBRICUS projects main objective is to improve the conservation status of P. fuscus insubricus in 14 Natura 2000 sites stopping the population decrease and guaranteeing conservation above the minimum viable population. The specific objectives are to Increase existing known adult populations Expand translocation areas with 11 new areas inside six Natura 2000 sites and restocking of 46 existing areas within eight Natura 2000 sites Recover locally extinct populations after removing the causes of extirpation Increase the genetic variability of the individual populations and reduce inbreeding caused by genetic drift and bottlenecks Improve connectivity between sub-populations thanks to the recovery and creation of new wetlands with suitable characteristics to act as stepping stones Draw up guidelines and a national strategy forspecies conservation and Increase awareness among the general public and stakeholders in order to improve safeguarding of P. fuscus insubricus and wetlands.LIFE-INSUBRICUS will contribute to implementation of the Habitats Directive by improving the conservation status of P. fuscus insubricus which is listed in the directives Annex II as well as to the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020 in particular objectives 2 5 and 6. The projects planned actions are in line with the EUs Invasive Alien Species Regulation. The conservation work on habitats will also favour other amphibians sharing these and which are included in the Habitats Directives Annex II Triturus carnifex and the Italian agile frog Rana latastei and IV Hyla intermedia the agile frog Rana dalmatina Bufo viridis and the pool frog Rana lessonae.ResultsExpected results Increase of P. fuscus insubricus specimens to 3 000 with an increment of almost 3 compared to the 2018 baseline Creation of 11 new translocation areas within six Natura 2000 sites and restocking of 46 existing areas in eight Natura 2000 sites Recovery of three extinct populations increase of genetic variability in individual