COVER N. 453 - LITHUANIA

Postmark: Europa Povandeniné fauna ir flora Vilnius Premier Jour 26.04.2024/ Kaišiadorys Lietuva 01.05.2024

Posted on the 1st May; received on the 21st May 2024

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This year's Europa stamps theme being underwater Fauna and Flora, I expect to receive some covers graced with really nice stamps, since such an attractive theme more than lends itself to it.

The first one I got comes from Lithuania, for which I have to thank Leonardas, who kindly sent me a beautiful FDC of  Lietuvos paštas' 2024 Europa issue, which comprises two stamps that thoroughly illustrate the fact that simplicity sometimes is all it takes to reach a great result. Labai ačiū, Leonardas!

Lietuvos paštas' chose to illustrate the two stamps with riverine flora and fauna representatives. As such, two 1,70€ stamps were issued on 26APR2024, both marvellously illustrated, one with the image of a dwarf white  water lily (Nymphea candida) an aquatic species that is distributed in all Eurasia, and the other, with that of the European crayfish (Astacus astacus), a species classified as vulnerable by IUCN and once common in European rivers and streams, but which has been decimated by the invasive American crayfish and by pollution and insecticides...

Further to the First day Postmark, the stamps are cancelled by a postmark from Kaišiadorys, a city of app. 8,400 inhabitants in central Lithuania.