Preserve early flowering plants

Preserve early flowering plants - a priceless gift of nature!

Early flowering plants are called the first smile of spring. Tender and fragile, they are the first to feel pleasant rays of the spring sun. And it is disappointing that some of these flowers are on the verge of extinction. Let’s talk about this.

Do you want to buy snowdrops or squills passing those who sell these flowers? Nice, relatively cheap, they attract buyers and sell out very quickly. But have you ever wondered where these flowers come from? How do they get on the shelves? And is it allowed to sell and buy them at all?

Early flowering plants are wild plant species that bloom in late winter and early spring. Among them are not only famous snowdrops and squills, but also crocuses, Eastern pasqueflower, wild garlic, wild tulips, cyclamens, spring snowflakes and many others. All of them are protected either by the Red List of Ukraine, or by the regional Red Lists, or by the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and mass trade in these flowers leads to their disappearance in nature.

Only by not buying these flowers today and leaving retailers at a loss we can force this trade system to stop. Early flowering plants are already on the verge of extinction. If not to stop the criminal business today - soon in the wild these plants may not remain at all.

Every year Mykolaiv Zoo together with young biologists of our zoo carries out a traditional action "Let's save early flowering plants" which purpose is to save this miracle of the nature. Everyone should support this action. What is needed for this? A bit. Say to yourself "no!" when your hand wants to pluck a flower, do not buy these flowers in the markets, do not litter the area where they grow. Stop, give them the joy of life! Remember: it is better to photograph or draw the flowers, but not to harm them.

Let's learn to live in harmony with nature. It begs us about this!