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Mauremys rivulata or Balkan terrapin along Emys orbicularis or European pond turtle is one of the two freshwater turtle species in Croatia. Unlike the E. orbicularis, which is widespread throughout Croatia, M. rivulata is present only in the country's far south.  Mauremys rivulata is one of the most endangered reptile species in Croatia. Survey that was conducted by Assotiation Hyla showed that the M. rivulata occurs in the three geografically isolated populations (Ston, Gornji Majkovi, Konavle field). The Balkan terrapin is categorized as Endangered (EN) in the Red book of Croatian Reptiles and Amphibians, it is strictly protected and included in several international nature protection legislations such as the Annex II and IV of the Habitats Directive. Globally is assessed as a species of Least Concern (LC), the etinction of entire populations in the western part of its range is recorded (Crete, Macedonia, Turkey). Range of distribution od M. rivulata in Croatia is the most northern and most western part of the species range making the Croatia's population marginal.

Source: personal observations
https://www.iucn.org/content/uncertain-future-balkan-terrapin

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Posidonia oceanica - underwater meadow of life

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Posidonia oceanica - underwater meadow of life

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Posidonia oceanica or Neptune grass is a sea grass species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. In Croatia it can be found almost all along the coast. Posidonia oceanica is extremely important part of the ecosystem and area with high biodiversity in the Adriatic due to its forming of large underwater meadows. Owing to pollution, anchoring, trawling. Disappearing of P. oceanica is a serious threat to the entire fauna of these meadows. Numerous and dense areas in the northern Adriatic are rapidly disappearing due to launching and the withdrawal of anchors.

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259361330_Variations_in_Posidonia_oceanica_meadow_structure_along_the_coast_of_the_Dugi_Otok_Island_eastern_Adriatic_Sea
https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/more/zasticene-morske-vrste.asp

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Litophaga litophaga or date shell is a species of Bivalvia that lives mainly in the area battered by the waves, but they can also reach depths of 125 to 200 m. They bore into marine rocks. Their growth is very slow. To reach the 5 cm in length it requires 15 to 35 years. People find them a delicacy, but to extract the shells it is required to destroy the rocks where they live and that can lead to desertification of the coast.  This leads to destruction of coast and underwater life. The governments do not support this kind of collection so they made it illegal. The Law on fishing in Croatia prohibits fishing and trade of dates in order to protect the rocks and habitat.

Source: https://www.inforovinj.com/eng/rovinj/more/zasticene-morske-vrste.asp

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It was realised in the 1970`s that large scale collection of Mediterranean tortoises for the pet trade could be having serious effects on their populations. In 1967, for example, 476,186 tortoises from the Mediterranean region were imported into the UK (mean from 1965 – 1979 was 184,957 annually) despite no understanding of population dynamics or the effects of collection on wild populations.
Roger Meek

Testudo hermanni is often taken out of nature and sold as a pet. Big problems are created by tourists who take the turtle as a pet and then take it into an area which is not suitable for its survival or leave them in a place unsuitable for their life.
Source: http://www.rogermeekherpetology.com/herpetology-research-croatia-montenegro.html

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Harmonia axyridis or harlequin ladybird is invasive ladybird species belonging to the Coccinellidae family. It was brought to Europe as biological control of aphids due to its predatory diet. It was not deliberately introduced in Croatia but has spread from neighbouring countries. Now is present in every region of the country as well as the Mediterranean.
Source: personal observation

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Helichrysum italicum has its range of distribution in the Mediterranean area. Use of its essential oil in perfumes and creams, its benefits on human health has turned it into a very valuable plant in the Mediterranean. Its extracts have the potential to be developed as dietary supplement ingredients just like its essential oil has been used successfully in perfumery and aromatherapy. The plant has achieved a large price on the market because of its great medical, perfume and oil value. Therefore, people began to pick out a plant for their own profit, and started destroying the populations in certain areas. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nature has issued a decision urgently forbidding the picking of H. italicum on all the islands, while for the other parts of the coast the autumn harvest is shortened for 45 days.
Source: https://www.pag.hr/vjesti-a-novosti/1239-zabrana-branja-smilja-na-otocima.html
http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue105/hg105-feat-helichrysum.html?ts=1549729370&signature=c70ca53a9c97984531afa76e56125e51

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About 70 tons of red coral is extracted from the Mediterranean Sea annually. It has high economic value. It is mainly used in jewellery production. This encouraged many professionals and amateurs to eradicate the red coral from shallow area. However, with the progression of diving techniques deeper areas are no longer safe zone for the red coral.

Source:  Kružić P.;  Teskeredžić E. (2002): POSSIBILITIES OF EXTRACTION AND CULTURE OF RED CORAL (Corallium rubrum, Linnaeus, 1758) IN CROATIA. Ribarstvo 60: 149-164

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road construction and a small number of green transitions for animals

construction of wind power - roads leading to them cause fragmentation of the habitat

deforestation due to the creation of cultivable surfaces

drainage of wetlands due to small number of traditional cattle breeders or ecological succession

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Caulerpa taxifolia is a species of seaweed, an algae native to the the Indian Ocean. The tropical green alga Caulerpa taxifolia in the Mediterranean has spread steadily since its introduction in 1984. At the end of 2000, approximately 131 km of benthos had been colonized in 103 independent areas along 191 km of coastline in six countries (Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Croatia and Tunisia). Caulerpa racemosa is a species of edible green alga. It is found in many areas of shallow sea around the world. There are a number of different forms and varieties, and one that appeared in the Mediterranean Sea in 1990, which is giving cause for concern as an invasive species.

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Marine Invader CAULERPA TAXIFOLIA @ "Blue Grota" Croatia. Danger for the Mediterranean.

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Other invasive species recorded in Croatia that belongs to the 100 World's Worst Invasive Alien Species 

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Other invasive species recorded in Croatia that belongs to the 100 World's Worst Invasive Alien Species 

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Aedes albopictus

Cyprinus carpio

Dreissena polymorpha

Gambusia affinis

Herpestes javanicus

Myocastor coypus

Trachemys scripta elegans

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Salmo obtusirostris - Fishes

Acipenser naccarii - Fishes

Sorex alpinus - Mammals

Dinaromys bogdanovi - Mammals

Chirocephalus croaticus - Crustaceans

Chondrostoma knerii - Fishes

Chondrostoma phoxinus - Fishes

Cobitis narentana - Fishes

Cobitis illyrica - Fishes

Cobitis dalmatina  - Fishes

Crex crex - Birds

Aulopyge huegelii - Fishes

Delminichthys krbavensis - Fishes

Delminichthys jadovensis - Fishes

Delminichthys ghetaldii - Fishes

Delminichthys adspersus - Fishes

Eoleptestheria spinosa - Crustaceans

Umbra krameri - Fishes

Iberolacerta horvathi - Reptiles

Rana latastei - Amphibians

Knipowitschia croatica – Fishes

Lycaena ottomanus - Insects

Vipera ursinii - Reptiles

Rhinolophus euryale - Mammals

Lacerta mosorensis - Reptiles

Maculinea rebeli – Insects

Niphargus valachinus - Crustaceans

Niphargus hrabei - Crustaceans

Proteus anguinu s - Amphibians

Phoxinellus dalmaticus - Fishes

Phoxinellus alepidotus – Fishes

Alburnus sarmaticus - Fishes

Squalius svallize - Fishes

Squalius microlepis - Fishes

Squalius illyricus - Fishes

Squalius zrmanjae - Fishes

Strongylognathus dalmaticus - Insects

Telestes croaticus - Fishes

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Endangered species of Croatia - List - Earth's Endangered Creatures

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Endangered animals of the world captured in photos, videos, and more.

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Croatia is considered threatened by drastic changes which are happening in the recent years. It is estimated that by 2070 Croatia will experience wide range of consequences due to climate change. This will bring significant changes to the life in this region, aswell as the change in the distribution range for many species, low addaptations for specialists, and owerall decline in biodiversity.

By mid-2070 the average air temperature in Croatia would rise by 2.2 degrees Celsius and that precipitation would be reduced by up to 15 percent in all seasons except winter. By 2070, the snow cover will be reduced by almost 50 percent, and sea levels will rise by 40 to 65 centimetres by the end of this century, thus endangering a significant number of towns on Croatia’s coast (Vladimir Kalinski, 2017).

We can expect more natural disasters which would lead to higher frequency and intensity or dry periods. Sea temperatures are expected to increase considerably which leads to reduced yields resulting in more expensive food production. With the sea temperature rising, the native Adriatic fish are expected to escape to deeper and more northerly seas, while new species will arrive from the warmer seas. This opens up the issues of invasive species and problems of dissapearign of species that are specialists and can not adopt to recent changes.

Source: https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/20033-climate-change-bringing-dramatic-changes-to-croatia

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I really enjoyed surfing through others BioAreas. I was particularly interested in studying areas like Suriname, Philippines and Madagascar because of the flora and fauna I'm not so familiar with. I enjoyed watching videos and photos and reviewing scientific papers. I was surprised by the small biodiversity of Belgium mentioned by one of the participants, while the diversity mentioned in Italy, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, etc. is understandable because of its belonging to the Mediterranean basin hotspot area. They share great similarity with Croatian flora and fauna, by numbers of endemic species, and various negative impacts. It is interesting that most areas bear the same problems with the pressure of degradation, the introduction of foreign invasive species and the loss of habitats. Only participant from Cyprus mentioned that they do not have much problem with decline of biodiversity and degradaton because of the isolation.