Outbreak of crayfish plague in protected landscape area

Conservationists have confirmed an outbreak of crayfish plague in the Žďárské vrchy protected landscape area. The Regional Veterinary Administration and nature conservationists are taking emergency measures to reduce the risk of a further spread of the disease which is threatening critically endangered "native" river crayfish. There is a ban on moving crayfish and other aquatic species out of the marked zone and releasing them in other places, while the area is being cleaned and disinfected. According to conservationists, the source of the crayfish plague is non-native species of crayfish from North America, especially signal crayfish, which are resistant to the disease.