Monitoring on Malá Fatra pilot sites – tourist traffic and animal behaviour

Date: 17.11.2024
By: HUMANITA
At the end of the summer, we installed two types of monitoring devices in the Malá Fatra National Park: tourist counters and camera traps. The aim of this monitoring is to map the movement of tourists at pilot sites and assess their impact on fauna.

The movement of tourists is monitored by 4 counters located on hiking trails. Animal behaviour and unauthorized entries of people to selected sites are monitored by camera traps. Based on the first results, it can be seen that areas located in close proximity to cable car belong to some of the most challenging sites for mountain protected area management.

The most endangered place is the peak of Chleb Mountain, which is crossed by the ridge tourist trail and is located near the cable car. The busiest day (in period 1.9.-15.11.2024) was September 10, 2024, when 3,617 visitors passed through this place. Movement patterns indicate that this mountain is visited mainly during weekends by tourists whose only goal is to walk to the top and return to the cable car. During the week, a different behaviour is visible, when many tourists pass over the mountain and continue on their way.

The cameras recorded the movement of animals in various places and the outputs from them will be subjected to further analysis. They also captured the movement of tourists at unauthorized times or riding horses in places where it is prohibited.