Prague is also a planet of animals. You can also meet foxes or wild boars in the center, says Sedláček
The first animal that comes to mind in connection with Prague is the pigeon. Is it the most numerous animal inhabitant of our capital?
Pigeons are mainly visible, which is why we associate them with the city. However, there are estimated to be less than 100,000 feral domestic pigeons in Prague. Apparently, they are also decreasing in the long term. In recent decades, however, the somewhat larger wood pigeon, which used to inhabit deep forests, has increased a lot. It got used to humans and today it also nests in small trees on Václavák. The most numerous typically urban vertebrate will probably be the rat. Exterminators estimate that there are about five rats for every Prague resident. But the comparison is a bit misleading, the rat has a completely different generation period, and therefore the birth rate and at the same time the death rate than humans. But on average it will probably be this ratio.
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Can you say which animal species settled in the Prague environment as one of the first and who is perhaps a complete newcomer?
For example, the house sparrow, common jay or common robin have been nesting on buildings in Prague for many decades, perhaps centuries. They understood that the buildings were such strange rocks, which was their natural habitat. A little later these species were joined by the common kestrel, the common jackdaw, and from mammals, for example, various types of bats or marten. The city is very dynamic, growing species cease to suit, others appear on the contrary. Often it’s about overcoming shyness. In Prague, for example, gray heron, garden heron or the aforementioned wood pigeon nest in abundance. Beaver, pigs and foxes abound. About 30 years ago, we would have tapped each other on the forehead.
I have read that the fox population is very numerous in the capital. What attracts them here?
Yes, I recently met a large fox on the embankment below Vyšehrad, drinking water from a puddle on the tram belt. Foxes are nocturnal, Prague is actually very quiet at night, the covid situation also helped. Foxes have plenty of food here, they are omnivores, so they will occasionally catch something, hopefully rats, but they will not disdain any garbage.
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In the book, you write about the fact that common seagulls in Prague significantly reduce the volume of landfills, because they consume everything that is edible. Which other animals inhabiting Prague fulfill a similar function?
This is how crow-like songbirds work in the city, mainly magpies and jackdaws. Pigeons, to a lesser extent perhaps blackbirds or sparrows. But it cleans up the leftover roll or French fries. Of the mammals mentioned foxes, but mainly rats. The sound is probably not so positive there anymore…
Planet PragueAll urban animals probably do not exactly live in symbiosis with humans. Who is such a creature that harms us the most?
In addition to the already discussed pigeons and rats, these are other invasive, geographically non-native species. Species introduced by man from another homeland. Recently, residents of Prague have certainly noticed the river nutria. It is originally from South America, and it destroys all the coastal vegetation around the river and water reservoirs. It thus limits native species, such as birds. Other water-bound invasive species are also a problem – the Asian corbicula is spreading en masse, American species of crayfish transmit diseases that are fatal to our native crayfish. The unique Prague rock steppe is overgrown with acacia thorn trees. In the book we call him the Prague Cherokee. There are hundreds of invasive species in cities. But domestic species also cause inconvenience to the citizens of Prague. For example, the mentioned wild boar.
In the environment of the big city, specific species of animals have also developed. Which ones do you find the most interesting?
Not separate yet, but it is true that many of them undergo evolutionary changes in appearance, reproduction, use of the environment and behavior. These things show up well on a plain black scythe. So, in my opinion, he is not ordinary at all. It is an elegant bird with perhaps the most beautiful voice in the world. Blackbirds in Prague sing long before dawn, because it’s basically never dark here. They sing louder and at higher frequencies – to shout over the city noise. Their wings are shortened to better maneuver in the urban jungle. They don’t even need long wings, more suitable for migration to the wintering grounds, Prague blackbirds no longer migrate. And start nesting already in February, it is warmer in the city. The species Turdus merula is slowly transforming into the species Turdus urbanicus.
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Lively traffic is expected in city parks and forests, on the banks and below the surface of water bodies and streams. Are there places where the inhabitants of a number of animals will surprise us on the contrary?
Interesting species and stories can be found everywhere. The film and the book reveal these secrets, we wanted to share them with people who are interested in nature. One example for all. The slave ant lives in the parking lot on Ládví and elsewhere in the warmest places in Prague. I think the scene in the movie is completely captivating, in the book all the plots of the story are explained in detail.
What was the most challenging for you while preparing the film Planet Prague and how satisfied are you with it?
I really like the film and I’m glad that a number of colleagues, biologists, also praise it. Hopefully it will be liked by a wide audience as well. We also have very positive reactions to the book. In my opinion, it is completely different from a classic nature book. And what was challenging? The animals were constantly making fun of us during the filming. She did not respect the director’s authority at all, many ideas about what to shoot simply could not be implemented. It’s sad that 90 percent of the work goes to waste, but this much time and effort is balanced by one beautiful shot. After the first year of filming, I was a little worried if it would all work out. Honza Hošek, the film’s director, was always positive. And that line of the film, revolving around a few heroes, was managed to be maintained thanks to him and the army of amazing cameramen.