The Italian spined loach (Cobitis bilineata) and the Italian loach (Sabanejewia larvata) are two native loach species in Plitvice Lakes National Park. Notably, the Plitvice Lakes are the only location of the Italian loach in Croatia, while the Italian spined loach has been found at just one other site in Croatia, on the Zrmanja River.
OIKON d.o.o. conducted the “Research on Loaches in Plitvice Lakes National Park” project between 2020 and 2022 in cooperation with the Park’s Professional Service Department.
The project aimed to assess the structure of the loach community and the traits of their populations.
Previous research has recorded both loach species only in Lake Kozjak and downstream. They have not been recorded in Lake Prošćansko and other lakes in the Upper Lakes system. In Lake Kozjak, their populations are in good condition, and their large presence alone suggests that they play an important role in the lake’s biocenosis.