Not Only Environmental Conditions but Also Human Awareness Matters: A Successful Post-Crayfish Plague Reintroduction of the White-Clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) in Northern Italy

In Europe, invasive freshwater crayfish are not only changing ecosystems, but they also leading to local extinctions of native crayfish. This is particularly evident for the populations red swamp and spiny-cheek in northern Italy, which threatening last isolated white-clawed Here, we describe steps that accompanied a successful reintroduction an Italian stream (Park Monte Barro) that, although from other sites, suffered illegal introduction 2013. After removal presumably all introduced individuals, started periodical surveys (twice year) confirm absence further introductions monitor environmental conditions. Prior autumn 2018, developed intense dissemination activity raise awareness features importance among landowners surrounding stream, including those suspected crayfish: organized public meetings performed seven direct visits, house house, people providing information on good practices conservation. From 2018 2020, every autumn, reintroduced batch 3-month-old juveniles, program monitoring growth density, water quality, landowners’ disturbance site. We detected significant increase total length (TL) first (October 2018) June 2020. were consistently larger than 2019 surveys; some them able breed less 2 years after reintroduction. estimated density large reached 0.57 individuals/m , lower observed prior extinction. did detect any case human Our results underline actions could be more effective when stakeholders having greatest potential impact species identified, informed, involved as primary caretakers activities.