Meet Ozren, a previously unknown spider discovered on a Bosnian mountain

(Patria) - A new, previously unknown species of spider found in the Mokra Megara cave complex will be scientifically named after the Ozren mountain, thus permanently inscribing this area into world scientific heritage. After the Maglaj Golemash, which also inhabits this location, the spectacular discovery of another endemic species on Ozren further confirms the exceptional natural value of this area.

This is just one of the numerous significant results of biodiversity research conducted over the past year, which will be presented at the VI. Nature Conservation Network Conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to the Ozren spider, other significant findings from research on bats, birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects, as well as plants, fungi, mosses, and algae will be presented at the Conference, which will be held on November 8 and 9, 2024, in Doboj.

Biodiversity research conducted on Ozren supports the protection of this mountain, which is planned to be designated a national park according to the Spatial Plan of Republika Srpska. On the other side of the entity line, in the Federation of BiH, the Mokra Megara cave complex has already entered the procedure for declaration as a protected area.



Gostilj peak is currently the only protected part of the Ozren mountain, declared in 2021 as a protected habitat for St. John's wort. The traditional harvesting of this medicinal plant on Ozren, held every September, was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018, receiving international recognition for its cultural and ecological significance.

"Discoveries on Ozren overshadowed by growing repression"

Despite its rich natural and cultural values, Ozren faces serious challenges due to planned geological surveys aimed at exploiting nickel and cobalt. Local residents fear that mining activities could irreversibly damage the environment, including the quality of the waters with which this mountain abounds. Therefore, two panels are planned for the Conference to provide a deeper insight into the scientific and civil perspectives of natural resource management, both on Ozren and in the region.

The expert panel will include distinguished scientists, such as Prof. Dr. Ljiljana Tomović from the Faculty of Biology at the University of Belgrade, Prof. Dr. Ivan Dragičević from the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Civil Engineering at the University of Zagreb, and Prof. Dr. Dalibor Ballian from the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Sarajevo.

"Citizens, representatives of civil society organizations, who are facing increasing pressure due to the activities of companies involved in the exploration and exploitation of mineral raw materials, will also speak at the conference. Testimonies about dismissals, media lynching, false accusations, bribery attempts, as well as the recent police interrogations of association members from Ozren, indicate growing repression and serious violations of fundamental civil rights. Additional pressure comes from the office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, who emphasized in a report to the UN Security Council that Constitutional Court decisions on state property could negatively affect foreign investment, thereby clearly prioritizing the economic interests of mining companies over citizens' rights," stated the Nature Conservation Network in BiH.

All of this indicates that nature and society, both in both entities in BiH and in the wider region, are facing perhaps the greatest challenge since the war to date. Precisely for this reason, the conference organized by the Association of Citizens Fojničani and the Nature Conservation Network in BiH gains special significance, it was stated.