Rippling streams that wind between dense riparian vegetation - this is probably how romantics imagine small streams flowing through Slovak territory. However, the truth is that many of our streams have been significantly altered by human activity. In addition to migration barriers, construction in close proximity or invasive plant species, extreme drought and heat have also had a large impact on them, which has caused the beds of many rivers to temporarily dry up. Fortunately, the fern was not one of them and she pleased the conservationists with something else - the crayfish also liked her.

Papradnianka is one of the few well-preserved waterways within the scope of the Kysuce PLA. Its more than 21-kilometer pilgrimage leads through the mountains and the valley of Javorník, while at the end it flows into the Hričovské canal. "The biologically most valuable part of the stream is under the 3rd degree of protection as an area of European significance NATURA 2000," explained zoologist Peter Drengubiak.

Among its permanent inhabitants is also the river crayfish, which generally indicates the purity of the running water. "Some data from the past indicated that Papradnianka is no stranger to cancer," added Drengubiak. During last summer, conservationists looked at the current state of the river. They monitored the crayfish on a 2.7-kilometer long section, while confirming 77 individuals. They were recorded in all age categories and relatively evenly across the entire section. "The viability of the crayfish population in Papradnianka is a reason to smile. The crayfish, even if it is "only" a species of national importance, confirms the value of the stream, which has become part of the territory of European importance," concluded the zoologist of the PLA Kysuce.

photo: Peter Drengubiak, zoologist of PLA Kysuce