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Our News
Meet the largest small slug in the world
This tiny creature, only 12 mm in size, is extremely important for the balance of marine ecosystems. It is under constant threat from concreting and embankment of beaches.
Activation is easy, using a smartphone or tablet. With the help of the free Artivive app, a mural is scanned in the park in Blatine in front of Šimićeva 70, and this mysterious creature is brought to life on the screen of the device.
The mural of the largest small slug was created based on a photograph by sea expert Pero Ugarković, painted by Split academic painters and street artists Luka Duplančić and Ivan Svaguša, and his virtual life was breathed in by animators Mate Žaja and Duje Stojak.
The production of the mural was carried out by WWF Adria, co-financed by the European Union, and in cooperation with the City District of Blatina, the Tourist Board of the City of Split and the Split-Dalmatia County - Administrative Department for Tourism and Maritime Affairs. The mural was created as part of the pan-European Fish Forward project to raise awareness of the social and environmental impacts of seafood consumption and Transforming Small Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean.
During the presentation of the little slug on Friday, numerous guests spoke in Split, and we bring you their statements in full.
Bojan Ivošević, Deputy Mayor of Split: “Apart from the beautification of Split, which certainly now looks more beautiful with a mural, it is very important to warn about what we have on the seabed, and it is endangered by human activities, devastation of the coast and seabed. I think that this way the citizens will become aware of what is hidden under the surface of the sea - that it is not just a beach where they put a towel, but that it is something worthwhile and which we must not destroy irreversibly.
Mosor Prvan, ecologist and biologist from WWF Adria: “Even small things are important. This slug is our message to the public that they should not neglect what they do not see, that our sea is very important and that it should be protected. We often encroach on the marine environment in various ugly ways and this does not contribute to the preservation of Adriatic biodiversity. With this action, we wanted to bring a little biodiversity to the concrete of Split in the form of the largest small slug in the world, to be a lasting reminder to the people of Split and visitors to the city of Split how important sea protection is and how great the sea is. "
Alijana Vukšić, Director of the Tourist Board: "Small things sometimes mean a lot and just a small slug means a lot to our city. Preservation of the sea and awareness of ecology should be raised for both citizens and guests. This is the best possible way! "
Matea Dorčić, Head of the Administrative Department for Tourism and Maritime Affairs at the Split-Dalmatia County: “The slug is phenomenal to us and sends a beautiful and important message. We are witnessing increasing concreting, destruction of nature, sea and coast. That is why we are here - the administrative department is doing its best to protect the marine good through its activities. One of them is this event, so we are really happy to be here. "
Ivan Svaguša, academic painter and street artist, author of the mural: “The mural was demanding in terms of size, nuance and setting of the composition of the character because it was inconvenient to make any correction. Although it sounds immodest, I had no doubt that we would do well because Luka and I are already a team - Luka is really a colleague to be desired and I will keep him for other projects. "
Luka Duplančić, academic painter and street artist, author of the mural: “The mural was certainly challenging for me - both technically and emotionally. Drawing and painting is definitely my therapy so we painted a beautiful mural. This is a very important initiative that can make citizens aware of the great importance of the sea, especially in a country that should be sea-oriented. "
Pero Ugarković, the author of the photo based on which the slug mural was created: “There are thousands of different animals on our natural beaches, and this slug is just a model that represents all those animals that are losing their area of life. These areas must be preserved just like that. Every intervention in that area destroys them, and their destruction will one day reach us. We must preserve their environment. There is room for beaches, we have reached a level of beach over-development and now we have to stop and let the animals live.
WWF would especially like thank the tenants at Antuna Branka Šimića 70 street and the foreign language school Jantar for their patience. This is the first such mural in Split, and the second one in Croatia. Take a look at our first smog eating sea mural in Zagreb!
© Petra Počanić
Mosor Prvan from WWF Adria