DEDICATED TO THE ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION

Motifs: 29. - The bluebird of the Rockies (Monticola solitarius) 30. - The red-spots (Elaphe situla) On the occasion of June 5, World's Environmental Protection Day, Croatian Post and Telecommunications issued two occasional stamps of different value focusing on the topic of environmental protection. The environmental consciousness of many in the world of science and the concerned public began to awaken in the 1960-s, culminating in the First World Conference on the Environmental Protection (Stockholm, June 5, 1973). As far as the protection of wildlife is concerned, Croatia is one of most outstanding European countries. Some species, almost extinct in some European countries, survive in Croatia, although their number is restricted. "The Bluebird of the Rockies" - Every close observer will be struck up by the heavenly blue icterid flying over the towering Paklenica Canyon or on any Croatian sheer island. This is Monticola Solitarius, bluebird, tinier than the starling. It is especially unsociable in May when mating and breeding. Mates are slatebluish, females rather pale, bluish-brown on the upperside, brown on the lowerside. When the time is fine, the canyons and the towering ridges are alive with strong song of the bluebird resembling the sound of the blackbird. "The red-spots" - attract the notice by their beauty although only a few people think that the snakes are beautiful. This snake is not very common, it is widespread over most of the Mediterranean region, especially in winward cliffs of the Velebit Massif and in adjoining two Canyons of Velika Paklenica and Mala Paklenica. Typical representative of its species, it feeds on insects, later on rodents and tiny reptiles. The cinnamon-red spots make this snake very conspicious when removed from its natural background; it is one of the myriad ways in which protected organisms have mimicked to gain protection from predators on reddish limestone. It is rather decorative than a poisonous species, and a lot of young "red-spots" perish because of human curiosity. Stamps were printed in sheets of 25 pieces. HPT placed on sale commemorative envelopes of the first date of issue (FDC) and a commemorative sheet of stamps.