ESIA Albania Annex 6.2.1.5 – List of Habitats - Fauna Page 2 of 21 Area Comp. System Disc. Doc.- Ser. Code Code Code Code Type No. Project Title: Trans Adriatic Pipeline – TAP AAL00-ERM-641-Y-TAE-1008 ESIA Albania Annex 6.2.1.5 - List of Habitats – Document Title: Rev.: 02 / at17 Fauna TABLE OF CONTENTS 6.2.1.5 List of Habitats – Fauna ................................................................................... 3 Page 3 of 21 Area Comp. System Disc. Doc.- Ser. Code Code Code Code Type No. Project Title: Trans Adriatic Pipeline – TAP AAL00-ERM-641-Y-TAE-1008 Document Title: ESIA Albania Annex 6.2.1.5 - List of Habitats – Fauna Rev.: 02 / at17 6.2.1.5 List of Habitats – Fauna Habitat Type Habitat Description Related Fauna East Section Lowland Grasslands This habitat is very widely distributed along the Eastern section of the pipeline route, both in Devolli • Mammals: (below 1500 m a.s.l) and Korca Valleys. It comprises arable lands and abandoned arable land turned into grasslands, o House mouse (Mus musculus) – agricultural areas located in the vicinity of the settlements (villages). The habitat supports a high abundance of bird o Long-tailed field mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) species, mostly passerines (order Passeriformes). In winter the open fields are used by flocks of o Sibling vole (Microtus epiroticus) finches in company of other small passerines. In summer, the open fields provide breeding • Birds: grounds for quails. Hedges and various fruit trees of the open terrain are visited by robins, house o Quail (Coturnix coturnix) sparrows, wrens, larks and many species of finches, shrikes, hoopoe and doves. The most o Robin (Erithacus rubecula) characteristic mammal species are rodents, both mice and voles. o House sparrow (Passer domesticus) o Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) o Larks (Alaudidae sp) o Finches o Shrikes (Lanius spp) o Hoopoe (Upupa epops) o Doves (Streptopelia turtur, S. decaocto) Orchards-Fruit tree This type of habitat is also widely spread along the pipeline route of Eastern section, especially • Mammals: plantations nearby Cangonji-Zemblaku area, between Kp 19 and Kp 28. Although established relatively o Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) recently (last 10-15 year), this type of habitat is still expanding, as farmers are interested in further o Badger (Meles meles) development of horticulture in Devolli and Korca fields. Fruit tree plantations of apple, plumb and o Weasel (Mustela nivalis) Cherry offer some ecological niches for reptiles (i.e. lizards such as the European green lizard and o Mice (Mus sp, Apodemus sp) wall lizard, various passerines (such as tits, finches, warblers, thrushes, black redstart, black bird, o Vole (Myodes spp, Microtus sp) flycatcher, crows), bee-eater, hoopoe,. Most common mammal species are fox, badger, weasel, • Birds: mice and vole. Birds of prey, such as common kestrel are often observed hunting over fruit tree o Passerines (Ord: Passeriformes) plantations. o Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) o Hoopoe (Upupa epops) o Common ketrel (Falco tinnunculus) • Reptiles: None o Lizards (Lacerta spp, Podarcis spp) Page 4 of 21 Area Comp. System Disc. Doc.- Ser. Code Code Code Code Type No. Project Title: Trans Adriatic Pipeline – TAP AAL00-ERM-641-Y-TAE-1008 Document Title: ESIA Albania Annex 6.2.1.5 - List of Habitats – Fauna Rev.: 02 / at17 Habitat Type Habitat Description Related Fauna Coniferous forest - This habitat was found within the study area in a small patch on the hills between Cangonji and • Mammals: Dominated by Pinus Zemblaku villages (Kp 26 and Kp 27). Pine trees, although they do not form a continuous canopy, o Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) nigra provide shelter for many breeding birds, including woodpeckers. The most characteristic birds for o Yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) this type of forests are Coal tit, Great tit, Crested tit, Green woodpecker, etc. From mammals the o Long-tailed field mouse (Apodemus sylvatica) most characteristic species are rodents, such as Red squirrel, Yellow-necked mouse, and Long- • Birds: tailed field mouse. o Coal tit (Parus ater) o Great tit (Parus major) o Crested tit (Parus cristatus) o Green woodpecker (Picus viridis) Transitional Transitional woodland-shrub is another type of vegetation that has a limited coverage along the • Mammals: woodland-shrub Eastern section of the pipeline route, on the hilly slopes between Cangonji and Zemblaku (Kp 26 o Wood mice (Apodemus sp) and 27). Located close to human settlements they are heavily exposed and affected by collection o Hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) of firewood and grazing. Fauna of this type of habitat is a mixture of species linked with forests o Fat dormouse (Glis glis) and shrubs. Avifauna is rich and dominated by passerines (order Passeriformes). A number of bird o Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) species visit the area during winter and summer time. o Badger (Meles meles) o Weasel (Mustela nivalis) o White tooth shrews (Crocidura sp) • Birds: o Warblers (Sylvia spp) o Robin (Erithacus rubecula) o Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) o Hoopoe (Upupa epops) o Buntings (Emberiza spp) o Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) o Blackbird (Turdus merula) o Jay (Garrulus glandarius) • Reptiles: o Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) o Green lizard (Lacerta viridis) Page 5 of 21 Area Comp. System Disc. Doc.- Ser. Code Code Code Code Type No. Project Title: Trans Adriatic Pipeline – TAP AAL00-ERM-641-Y-TAE-1008 Document Title: ESIA Albania Annex 6.2.1.5 - List of Habitats – Fauna Rev.: 02 / at17 Habitat Type Habitat Description Related Fauna Bare rocks with Situated mainly between Kp 26and 27 between Cangonji and Zemblaku villages. Bare rocks with • Mammals: scarce vegetation scarce vegetation provide a very suitable habitat for reptiles (lizards and snakes) that feed here on o Mice (Mus spp, Apodemus spp) insects and mice. Birds of prey (and other birds, such as shrikes, rock partridge, rock dove, • Birds: thrushes, rock bunting and wheatears are characteristic to such type of habitat. o Raptors (Falco spp and others) o Buzzard (Buteo buteo) o Shrikes (Lanius spp) o Rock partridge (Alectoris graeca) o Rock dove (Columba livia) o Thrushes (Monticola spp) o Rock bunting (Emberiza cia) o Wheatears (Oenanthe spp) • Reptiles: o Lizards (Lacerta spp, Podarcis spp) o Snakes (Malpolon sp, Telescopus sp, Vipera spp) • Amphibians: None Stream/river habitat Streams and rivers are important habitat for animal species linked with running freshwater habitats, • Mammals: (running water) such as dragonflies, fish (i.e. Barbus meridionalis, Barbus graecus, Cobitis tenia and o Otter (Lutra lutra) Chondrostoma nasus), and amphibians. Fresh water streams and rivers provide an important • Birds: habitat for a range of bird species including kingfisher and wagtails. This habitat is also frequented o Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) by herons. Some sections of the main Devolli River are also important for otter, whose presence o Wagtails (Motacilla sp) has been verified in two locations, at the crossing point of the pipeline with the river nearby Bilishti o Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) (WP 057) and Zemblaku dam (Kp 26). Zemblaku dam represents a temporary stagnant waterbody o Little egret (Egretta garzetta) with associated wetland along the main Devolli river. It was the only site along the Devolli river o Pygmy cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus) where few individuals of pygmy cormorant have been observed during the field survey along the o Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) Eastern section. In addition, on the floating vegetation of the shallow waters of Zemblaku dam • Reptiles: moorhen, terrapin and water snake were observed. o European pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis) o Water snakes (Natrix spp) • Amphibians: o Stream frog (Ranea graeca) o Agile frog (Rana dalmatina) o Balkan frog (Pelophylax kurtmuelleri) Page 6 of 21 Area Comp. System Disc. Doc.- Ser. Code Code Code Code Type No. Project Title: Trans Adriatic Pipeline – TAP AAL00-ERM-641-Y-TAE-1008 Document Title: ESIA Albania Annex 6.2.1.5 - List of Habitats – Fauna Rev.: 02 / at17 Habitat Type Habitat Description Related Fauna Other wetlands Stagnant waterbodies are represented in the study area by the small Reservoir of Tresteniku and • Mammals:None (stagnant water) the drainage/irrigation channel of Vranisht, both used for irrigation. The pipeline route passes very • Birds: close to Trestetiku Reservoir (Kp 1). It as a sensitive habitat for a variety of animal taxa linked with o Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) aquatic habitats, such as dragonflies, fish, amphibians, aquatic reptiles, and waterbirds, however o Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) no otter presence has been confirmed at this site during our field surveys conducted in August, • Reptiles: 2011. Little grebe and common sandpiper were observed at this site although few other bird o Water Snakes (Natrix spp) species were observed. At the crossing point of the pipeline with Vranishti channel there was no o European pond terrapin (Emyx orbicularis) water when the site was visited, however, water snake, terrapin and frogs were observed some • Amphibians: 100 m away downstream where some shallow water was still present. o Balkan frog (Pelophylax kurtmuelleri) Caves and tunnels This type of habitat is not found along the pipeline route, but some caves and tunnels are situated • Mammals: some 1-3 km away from the study area, and some cave-dwelling bats do visit the project area o Great horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) during their hunting at night. The most important cave is that of Treni, situated at the entrance point o Blasius’s horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus blasii) to Small Prespa lake, in which some 10 species of bats have been reported. o Mediterranean horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus euryale) o Lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) o Serotine (Eptesicus serotinus) o Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) o Lesser mouse-eared bat (Myotis blythii) o Long-fingered bat (Myotis capaccinii) o Schreiber’s bat (Miniopterus schreibersi) o Free-tailed bat (Tadarida teniotis) Page 7 of 21 Area Comp. System Disc. Doc.- Ser.