Natural environment of Świętokrzyski Region

Hexagonaria, Devonian period, Kowala

Świętokrzyskie Mountains, one of the oldest mountains in Europe, are 500 mln years old. They are not impressively high but are characterized by geological and natural diversity what makes them really facinating. The display shows history of this land from the millions years beforehead till the present days. Nature collections at the Museum cover numerous fossil exhibits as well as present-day animals.

The display starts from the oldest times so firstly we may see different kinds of invertabrates: molusces, cephalopods, spongiaries and many others. These small organizms used to play very important role in their ecosystem. They have survived till our times, however not in such a huge number. Worth mantioning are unique paleozoic forms from the pre-war collection of Polish geologist Jan Czarnocki.

Vertabrates are represented by sharks (Procarcharodon megalodon) and fishes from Devonian period- to be more specific - by their teeth which are much more resistant to destruction than the rest of their skeleton. A really extraordinary exhibit are fragments of a skull of a sea reptile. Bones ant teeth are easily seen thanks to cutting the stone into sheets.

Highly spectacular are traces of dinosaurs. The imprints of their three-finger paws were well-known all over the region, As a result, the representation of devil here did not hooves but bird-like feet. The last part of the fossil collection includes mammals, mostly from the Ice Age. The oldest exhibits are teeth of fossil elephants and circles of a whale. We may also find there fragments of a cave lion, bears, mamoths and ancestors of modern bisons.

The display also presents various species of nowadays fauna and flora. Thanks to the huge diversity of landscape Świętokrzyski Region is home for many birds of prey, mammals - both for those eating plants and for predators. Viistors are specially amazed by beatiful colours and appearance of some birds. Some of them are very rare in Poland. Curlew - a large brownish coloured bird with long legs and long curved beak is often seen in quarries. Black grouse - likes old forrests with marshy openings. It is known for its characteristic signing in mating season. The most impressive object is sea eagle. It is the biggest bird of prey in Poland. In 1990's it was noticed in our region first time after 130 years of absence. A buzzard, a hawk and a falcon live in fields and meadows areas.There is also a wide range of water and marsh birds. They used to be very common, but now, after drying fields and meadows, they migh be observe only occassionally.

Deep forests are a good place for many species of mammals: deer, roe deer, fallow deer and wild boar. Also small predators, like e.g. a fox, a badger, a racoon dog and a marten live there. In the region one may also meet various rodents. Unfortunately some of them are mistakenly taken as mice and kill.