Alam-Pedja area is an extensive wilderness area of vast mires and bogs, wet forests, floodplains and meandering rivers. The area under protection today covers 34,220 hectares. The nature reserve is located in the Lake Võrtsjärv depression bor- Natura values of dered mainly by rivers – Pedja River, Põltsamaa River, Umbusi River, Pikknurme River, Laeva River and Suur Emajõgi River. The nature reserve consists of zones with different protection regime and has several nature trails and a nature centers. Alam-Pedja watershed

Visitor’s guidelines • Some visiting restrictions are applied in the nature reserve. Please follow the tourist signs! Use only roads and parking lots for biking and driving motor-vehicles! Asp Aspius aspius European bullhead Cottus gobio European weatherfish Misgurnus fossilis Spined loach Cobitis taenia • Motorboats are allowed on Emajõgi River, Elva River and Ilmatsalu River. On Pedja River and Põltsamaa River motorboats are allowed with the written permission of the Asp is the biggest of Estonian native cyprinids and the only European bullhead is a freshwater fish with a club-shaped European weatherfish is an eel-like fish with small rounded Spined loach is a small benthic fish reaching a length of nature reserve governor only. Motorboats are prohibited all predator among these. It is highly abundant in Lake Pei- body and a wide flat head. Its naked skin without scales is fins. It has dark back and somewhat lighter sides with one 11 cm. It has an elongate flat-sided body of pale yellowish year round on the rest of the water bodies, including oxbow pus, Suur-Emajõgi River and Narva River. Asp is a ther- covered with small spines. It mainly inhabits river sections wide and two narrow dark stripes, and five pairs of bar- color. Brown mottles on its sides form two parallel stripes. lakes of Emajõgi River. mophilic fish whose most active feeding occurs from May with pebble and gravel in the bottom. It can be found also bels around its mouth. Weatherfish is a secretive species Its mouth is furnished with three pairs of small barbels. The • Other motorized watercraft is prohibited on the entire area to October. It becomes sexually mature at the age of 5–7 in Lake Peipus, Lake Võrtsjärv and in the coastal sea. Euro- and therefore difficult to capture. It favors shallow water spines below its eyes become erect for defence when there of the nature reserve. years (females) and spawns in spring in rapid river sections pean bullhead prefers cool oxygen-rich sites. In Estonia it bodies with muddy bottom and rich vegetation. Estonia is is a threat from the predator fish or bird. Spined loach lives • Fishing in the nature reserve is prohibited on oxbow lakes on pebble or gravel bottom. It feeds on zooplankton in the becomes sexually mature at the age of two years. Spawning the northernmost natural distribution area for the Euro- both in rivers and lakes and favors clear water and sandy or of Emajõgi River between the mouth of Pedja River and first year and later on other fish, common bleak above all. takes place in late April or in early May when the water tem- pean weatherfish. It burrows into mud and as a facultative clay bottom slightly covered with silt and detritus. Spined Kärevere bridge on the Tallinn–Tartu highway from April In Estonia the lifetme of asp is up to 10 years. It grows up perature has raised to 5–9 °C. Bullhead is a benthic species air-breather is capable of tolerating oxygen deficiency. The loach spawns in Juny and July in the depth of 0.3–0.8 m, 1 to June 30. to 7–8 kg in weight, occasionally reaching 10 kg. Asp is hiding itself underneath a particular stone. It protects the spawning season lasts from late April to July. Owing to its depositing its eggs onto the leaves, roots and stems of plants • When noticing any activities harmful to nature call the an attractive species for hobby fishermen but its catch is area surrounding its shelter against other bullheads. barbels the nocturnal fish is able to feed on chironomids, both alive and dead. The fish is capable to change color Environmental Inspection at 1313. prohibited in Estonia since 1992. larvae of other insects and zoobenthos even in the dark and along with the color of the bottom substrate. With poor Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve is governed by the regional Jõgeva-Tartu department of the Main human threats to the European bullhead include in extremely muddy water. swimming skills, the spined loach stays close to the bottom, Environmental Board of Estonia (www.keskkonnaamet.ee). Main threats to asp include silting of spawning grounds, deterioration of water quality due to pollution and eutroph- hiding itself between the vegetation or burying in the bot- Visitor activities in the nature reserve are organized by nature conservation department of the State Forest Management Center (Tooma village, Jõgeva County; www.rmk.ee) migration barriers, river deepening and cut-offs. Spawning ication, as well as deepening, straightening and damming European weatherfish is not currently threatened by human tom and leaving only the head exposed. It is highly resist- and the Alam-Pedja Nature Center of the Environmental Board. Palupõhja nature ground preservation and open migration routes are the key of rivers. In the Alm-Pedja reserve it is known to live in activities. Negative impacts can be mainly brought about ant to living without food for up to five months. Similar to school at Palupõhja ([email protected]) has become one of the most visited and active centers of environmental education. conservation measures. In Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve the oxbow lakes of Ringkoolu and Lustivere. by water level regulation and river-straightening. Water the European weatherfish, the spined loach possesses the The project is financed by the EU LIFE+ Programme and the Estonian Environmental asp occurs in Emajõgi River, Laeva River, and Elva River, it bodies of the catchment basin of Lake Peipus, oxbow lakes ability of intestinal breathing. The oxbow lakes and waters Investment Center and executed by Wildlife Estonia (Eesti Loodushoiu Keskus), Nature is probably also spawning in the two former. It migrates to of Emajõgi river in the Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve and of near river banks in the Alam-Pedja reserve and at Palupõhja Conservation Society Kotkas and Environmental Information Center. For more information on the project HAPPYFISH please visit oxbow lakes for feeding. The current project aims to explain Narva River in particular, as well as the shores of Lake Pei- in Emajõgi River have high seosonal abundance of spined www.loodushoid.ee/happyfish the migration pattern and spawning areas of asp. pus provide suitable habitats for the European weatherfish loach. To enhance its preservation, comprehensive research and thus, are rich in this species. European weatherfish is on the migration pattern of this fish is needed. found in all oxbow lakes of the Alam-Pedja reserve and here endangered European species Fish fauna of Emajõgi River and its oxbow lakes includes a number of such as and there in the niches along the banks of Emajõgi River, The spined loach is mainly threatened by water level regula- asp, European weatherfish, spined loach and European bullhead, but also various species of high fishing Elva River and Pedja River. tions in lakes as well as in rivers where also deepening and Text: Jaak Tambets, Meelis Tambets, Mart Thalfeldt • Cover photo: Peeter Unt • Map and importance such as pike, pike-perch, perch, common bream and golden orfe. figures: Ain Tavita • Photos: Arne Ader, Tiit Hunt, Urmas Tartes • Translation: Egle Kaur EESTI LOODUSHOIU KESKUS straightening pose threat to the population. Kirjastus: Eesti Loodusfoto © Eesti Loodushoiu Keskus, 2011 River system. The abundance of juvenile fish in oxbow lakes Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve hosts the following species listed in the Annex II of the Large copper mostly resides on floodplain meadows.  can reach as high as 1 million individuals per cubic meter. EU Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna Mire drainage is considered one of the principal threats Oxygen deficiency occurs in oxbow lakes in winter and and flora: thick-shelled river mussel (Unio crassus), the beetles Dytiscus latissimus to the species. Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve is the historic sometimes also in summer. Unfortunately, it is not always and Graphoderus bilineatus, yellow-spotted whiteface (Leucorrhinia pectoralis), large immigration area for the species in Estonia, currently host- possible for fish to escape from hypoxia to the oxygen-rich copper (Lycaena dispar), and probably also the dragonfly Ophiogomphus cecilia. ing the most important and strongest Estonian population waters of Emajõgi River. Dytiscus latissimus of large copper. Low water levels in winter may disconnect oxbow lakes from the mainstream of Emajõgi River due to silting with The watercourses of Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve play impor- Thick-shelled river mussel lives in watercourses with cool Yellow-spotted whiteface inhabits the stagnant water bod- Lycaena dispar sand and mud. Fish trapped in oxbow lakes without oxygen tant role for the scarce heath (Coenonympha hero) and the and clean water and intermediate or high flow velocity. ies, but is also found in oxbow lakes with no or minor (tem- may die. To prevent this from happening sediment should Preservation and revival of a stable population depends on porary) connection with the main river. woodland brown (Lopinga achine), both listed among the be removed from the mouths of oxbow lakes. host organisms, i.e. on other fish. The major threats to the butterflies in the Annex IV. Mowing of floodplain mead- To improve the living conditions for fish of the Emajõgi species include habitat destruction caused by ditch drain- The dragonfly Ophiogomphus cecilia is believed to share ows in a way that the riparian deciduous forests and willow River system, the cleaning of spawning grounds on flood- age and damming, pollution with chemicals and silt, water the same habitats with the thick-shelled river mussel.  thickets are maintained is essential for the preservation of plain meadows, the protection of spawning grounds of asp level fluctuations in regulated rivers, and excessive rise of Of the dragonflies listed in the Annex IV of the EU butterflies in the area. that spawns on rapids and the artificial reproduction of asp water temperature habitat and species directive, the dark whiteface (Leucor- Emajõgi River with its numerous oxbow lakes and floodplain mead- for its reintroduction to rivers must be carried out. rhina albifrons), the yellow-legged dragonfly (Gomphus fla- European otter Lutra lutra ows form the most valuable areas of the Alam-Padja Nature Reserve. A project called HAPPYFISH has been launched to conduct The ( ) represents the mammals The beetles Dytiscus latissimus and Graphoderus bilinea- vipes), the green hawker (Aeshna viridis), and the Siberian The 100-km-long Emajõgi River connects Lake Peipus, the these works. For the restoration and enhancement of eco- of the Annex II in the Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve. The riv- tus found in the Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve prefer stag- winter damsel (Sympecma paedisca) are found in the Alam- fourth largest lake in Europe, and Lake Võrtsjärv. logical potential of the Emajõgi River system the sediment ers and oxbow lakes of the area provide highly important nant water bodies or low-flow water courses. Pedja Nature Reserve. Leucorrhina albifrons Over long period of natural formation of Emajõgi River, removal is carried out at the mouths of oxbow lakes. The sites habitats for otter. its streambed has undergone significant changes, resulting included in the project are Samblasaare, Kupu, Võllinge, in distinctive water bodies cut off from the former river- Pudru, Kärkna and Rõhu oxbow lake, and I, II, III, and bed. There are 55 oxbow lakes in the Alam-Pedja Nature IV pit. In total, 50 hectares of spawning grounds will be Reserve. The total length and surface area of oxbow lakes restored and 50,000 fingerlings of asp introduced. Asp is a on the territory of nature reserve is greater than that of the protected species and therefore has to be released after being present riverbed. caught. The ultimate aim of restoration would be achiev- Unique oxbow lake ecosystems have evolved over time. ing a wholly vigorous population and authorizing free fish- Oxbow lakes have rich fish fauna and provide ideal repro- ing of this attractive species. In order to better examine the duction grounds for many fish species. Several studies have behavior and habitat needs of asp, we encourage fishermen shown that many fish migrate to spawn here from Lake Pei- to share information about the asp and other marked fish pus, Lake Võrtsjärv and other water bodies of the Emajõgi with Wildlife Estonia by telephone +372 517 6886.