Popular holiday destination and important ecosystem: Lake Garda.Image: Moment RF
Lukas Armbrust / watson.de
Lake Garda is primarily known as a holiday destination. But its importance as an ecosystem should not be underestimated. A find is currently making headlines that is causing enthusiasm, especially among conservationists.
July 15, 2026, 10:10 p.mJuly 15, 2026, 10:10 p.m
A long-missing resident of Lake Garda is currently attracting the attention of some conservationists. New observations suggest that a rare native species may have permanently reestablished itself in some areas of the lake. This would be an important signal for nature conservation, as the return is seen as an indication of positive development in the ecosystem.
As the WWF Bergamo Brescia reports, numerous specimens of the common river crab (Potamon fluviatile) have been found along the lakeshore near Verona.
The common river crab (Potamon fluviatile).Image: iStockphoto
The sightings were documented through photos and video recordings in the natural habitat. According to the nature conservation organization, it is particularly noteworthy that both adults and young animals were observed. This could indicate that stable populations have formed.
According to “Corriere della Sera”, the common river crab is the only freshwater decapod crab species native to Italy. It lives at depths of around six to eight meters and was considered to be in sharp decline in many regions for decades. Responsible for this were, among other things, water pollution, the loss of suitable habitats, interference with rivers and lakes and illegal fishing.
Some experts even assumed that the crab could have been locally extinct. But it obviously didn’t get that far.
Lake Garda: Crab could solve stubborn “problem”.
For the WWF, the discovery of the crab population in Lake Garda is significant in two ways. On the one hand, according to the Italian newspaper, the organization emphasizes: “The river crab is an excellent indicator of the health of freshwater ecosystems: its presence is evidence of clean, oxygen-rich waters with good ecological complexity.”
At the same time, the recovery of the crab population could solve a persistent “problem”. According to previous observations, the animals partly feed on the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). This is an invasive species that has spread rapidly in Lake Garda since the 1980s and is partly displacing native species.
If the common river crab continues to spread, the zebra mussel could be further decimated, thereby strengthening the ecological balance of the lake.
According to “Corriere della Sera”, the WWF Bergamo Brescia now wants to continue monitoring the development. The organization therefore appeals to visitors to Lake Garda not to catch or disturb the animals and, if possible, to report sightings with photos or videos in order to support scientific observation and protection of the rare species.