Species conservation and restoration
Purpose:
To ensure the long-term survival of Osmoderma barnabita through artificial breeding, where the offspring of the dusky golden beetle are transferred to suitable habitats in the wild. To further understand the environmental conditions suitable for the dusky golden beetle, and to develop a conservation plan for this species based on the latest data.
Main actions:
1. Ex situ breeding and translocation:
● To carry out artificial breeding of this species in the Lithuanian Zoo
conditions. It is planned that during the artificial breeding program a small number of Osmoderma
the number of barnabita individuals would be taken from the two largest populations in Lithuania
in Kaunas Lagoon and Neris Regional Parks, and their offspring are transferred to suitable
habitats in the Samogitia National and Meteliai Regional Parks.
● Within 5 years, at least 500 individuals will be relocated to shelters built in selected areas
artificial habitats.
2. Assessment of optimal habitat conditions. In order to better understand the optimal habitat of a species,
environment:
● to examine 90 selected oak trees in Latvia, using dendrotomography to determine internal
structure of cavities, as well as monitoring changes in temperature and humidity in gold beetles
in inhabited trees.
● In the room of artificially bred golden beetles at the Lithuanian Zoo
monitor and record temperature and humidity changes.
3. Preparation of a conservation plan for the dusky golden beetle:
● Based on the latest research, a protection plan for the Golden-bellied Toad species has been developed in Latvia.
plan, coordinated with the management plans of Natura 2000 sites. The plan shall provide for
measures for species protection, monitoring and habitat restoration.
● Strengthen public involvement in environmental protection initiatives and make them more effective
integration of environmental protection requirements into agricultural policy.
● The new biodiversity monitoring program (2028-2033) in Latvia includes
recommendations for more accurate monitoring of the goldenrod beetle.