The broad-clawed crayfish finds its habitat in the Vitebsk region

Broad-clawed crayfish (lat. Astacus astacus) is a species of decapod crustaceans from the infraorder Astacidea. Its natural population has been sharply declining since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It inhabits rivers and, as a rule, flowing lakes. A necessary condition for its existence is the presence of dense soils suitable for burrow construction. Bottoms covered with liquid silt are unfavorable for the life of this species. Optimal temperatures for the vital activity of this species should be considered 18-20°C.

It feeds mainly on aquatic plants, but mollusks, worms, aquatic insects and their larvae, dead fish, frogs and their spawn, and similar "products" are not uncommon in its diet. Crayfish are capable of reproduction from the fourth year of life at a body length of 7-8 cm. In November, females lay and attach about 200 eggs to their abdominal appendages, carrying them for 7-8 months. During this entire time, the female washes the eggs with water using her appendages, cleans them from silt and parasites, but almost half of the eggs die. Young crayfish up to 8 mm in size appear in May-June. They spend their first summer on aquatic vegetation, sometimes using empty mollusk shells as shelters. They grow slowly, and by autumn their size does not exceed 2 cm. The maximum lifespan of the broad-clawed crayfish is unknown, but individuals 15-20 cm long and weighing up to 200 g are occasionally found, which likely corresponds to an age of 15-20 years.

The broad-clawed crayfish is included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus, and therefore its commercial and amateur fishing is prohibited. The most obvious and simple external distinguishing features are a smooth carapace with small granular tubercles along the edges, and broad claws with powerfully developed bases.

On November 6, 2012, in the Glubokoye district of the Vitebsk region, as part of the UNDP/GEF project "Integrating Biodiversity Conservation into Land Use Planning in Belarus," a unique project is being implemented to reintroduce more than 300 specimens of the broad-clawed crayfish into Lake Beloye and Lake Mlichino.

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