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Conservation

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Protected species

Protected species

There are approximately 40,000 biota species believed to live in Estonia. By today ca 23,500 or 60% have been established. The rest of 16,500 species or 40% of biota still remains undiscovered, although they are generally known to the science. The total of 8600 species or ca one fifth of Estonian biota has been evaluated in terms of their endangerment. It appears that 1314 species or 15% of them are endangered or extinct.

Endangered species, preservation of which is not absolutely sure by application of relevant protection measures, are entered into the so-called Red Data Book. In legal terms the endangered species in Estonia are placed under protection according to three categories of different strictness. The list of species entered into the Estonian Red Data Book and list of species legally placed under protection do not exactly the same, although they share lots of species.

The basics of currently valid species conservation in Estonia were established by the „Protected Natural Objects Act” adopted on 1 June 1994. Pursuant to that act protected species were divided into 3 categories according to their endangering and strictness of protection. Certain changes were introduced to the lists of protected species, when the “Nature Conservation Act” entered into force on 10 May 2004. Currently 570 species have been placed under protection in Estonia. Protected category I with the strictest protection includes 35 plant species, 18 animal species, 9 fungus species and 1 lichen species. Protected category II includes 262 species and protected category III comprises 244 species. On the basis of the Nature Conservation Act of 2004, beside organisation of individual-based protection also the requirement to preserve permanent habitats of endangered species has become essentially more important. Species protection site or permanent habitat is one of protected natural objects.

If formerly applied protection measures have not guaranteed preservation of the protected species, management plans will be drafted for these species according to the Nature Protection Act. Management plans are approved by the Minister of the Environment.
in addition to the protected species, control and management plans of species will be drafted for so-called “problematic” species. These are internationally protected species ordinary in Estonia.