The Shushica River – Interdisciplinary exploration of the unique ecosystem

The Shushica in Albania is a tributary of the Vjosa and threatened by the planned construction of hydropower plants. Scientifically, the Shushica is a blank page and in order to close the knowledge gap, we brought 30 national and international scientists to the river in June 2021.

This preliminary report, published in December 2021, proves the high conservation value of the Shushica as an essential branch of the Vjosa river system. Due to the high habitat diversity, the Shushica hosts highly specific and endangered fauna and flora. Within the short collection period and at this preliminary stage of assessment, three aquatic insect and mollusc species were found that are new to science, several species new to Albanian and several species listed on the Red List of endangered species. The Shushica is also a hotspot for riparian-terrestrial and fish fauna.

The scientists detect potential violation of international and national law by the blockage of migration routes b the planned dams. They recommend a comprehensive long-term study and announce a detailed  interdisciplinary analysis from spring 2022 until 2025.  

The Shushica River – Interdisciplinary exploration of the unique ecosystem