Distribution and conservation of Hermann's tortoise in Serbia: - - PDF document

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265621993

Distribution and conservation of Hermann's tortoise in Serbia: presentation

• f the Rufford project results

Conference Paper · September 2013

CITATIONS READS

501

1 author: Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Conservation of the European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis) and Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni) in Montenegro View project Diversity of amphibians and reptiles in the Balkans: evolutionary aspects and conservation. Grant no. 173043 View project Ana Golubović University of Belgrade

66 PUBLICATIONS 236 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Ana Golubović on 15 September 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Atelier international sur la gestion et la restauration des populations et habitats de la Tortue d’Hermann International workshop on the management and restoration of Hermann’s tortoise populations and habitats Partie 3 - Brèves communications, conclusion et discours de clôture

147

Distribution and conservation of Hermann’s tortoise in Serbia: presentation of the Rufford project results

Ana Golubović

golubovic.ana@bio.bg.ac.rs Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

• Abstract. Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanni

boettgeri Mojsisovics, 1889) in Serbia, and generally in the Balkans, suffer high pressure of illegal collecting and export. Official records testify that in 20th century more than 2 million specimens were exported from the territory of former

• Yugoslavia. In the last decade, there were several

tortoise seizures on the national borders of Serbia during illegal export attempts. Although numbers

• f exported animals could testify of numerous,

dense Hermann’s tortoise populations in the former Yugoslavia area, reliable data

• n

distribution and population status are scarce. Relatively recent population studies suggest that populations in Serbia are dense and numerous, but further research on distribution and population characteristics are needed. During the field work within the Rufford project, we found 34 novel 10 x 10 km UTM squares for Hermann’s tortoise distribution in Serbia and started population studies at three new localities with obviously healthy and dense populations. Also, we took blood samples from Hermann’s tortoises living at 21 localities across Serbia. These blood samples will be used for creating of the DNA data base, needed to match the DNA samples taken from the tortoises seized at the borders. This will enable returning of seized animals in to their original

• populations. Similar DNA data base for Hermann’s

tortoise (and other Chelonian species) at the level

• f the Balkan Peninsula could be very useful for the

species conservation, since they obviously suffer high illegal trade pressure. There is also an urgent need for temporary shelters, in the area of the Balkan Peninsula, for Chelonians seized at the

• borders. At this moment, these animals are placed

in zoos where most of them suffer suboptimal living conditions. Keywords: Testudo hermanni boettgeri, illegal trade, Serbia, Balkan Peninsula, DNA database, shelter for Chelonians. Unfortunately, the Balkan Peninsula is considered almost as a synonym for illegal trade of Hermann’s

• tortoises. Official records on tortoises export exist

since 1929. In 20th century, there have been more than 2 million specimens legally exported from the territory of former Yugoslavia. For an illustration, in a single year (1972), 193 000 tortoises were

• fficially exported. The largest importers were

Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg and Great Britain (Ljubisavljević et al., 2011). In the last decade, there were several tortoise seizures on the national borders of Serbia during attempts of illegal export to European Union countries (2005 – 500; 2006 – 180; 2007 – 200 specimens) (Fig. 1.). Sadly, places of capture are not known for most of these animals, thus their

Atelier international sur la gestion et la restauration des populations et habitats de la Tortue d’Hermann International workshop on the management and restoration of Hermann’s tortoise populations and habitats Partie 3 - Brèves communications, conclusion et discours de clôture

148 returning to original populations is not possible at the moment. This uncontrolled harvesting could have fatal consequences for populations in

• question. In populations of long living, slowly

maturing animals, such as tortoises, removing of

• nly 11% of adults could be catastrophic (United

States Fish and Wildlife Service, 1994). Figure 1. Tortoises seized at Serbian – Hungarian border, year 2006. Data on distribution of Hermann’s tortoise in Serbia, and generally in the Balkans, are scarce (Lubisavljević et al., 2012, 2013). Nonetheless, these data are not comprehensive and don’t offer reliable population records. During the past five years, long-term population studies (capture-mark- recapture) were started at several localities in Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia (see presentations of Ljiljana Tomović and Sonja Djordjević). These studies are the first long-term population studies on Hermann's tortoises at the area of the Central Balkans, and offer the first insight in the population parameters. Considering first results, populations of Testudo hermanni in Serbia are numerous and dense. Rufford Small Grants Foundation recognised the urgent need for research of Testudo hermanni in Serbia as a highly important aspect in the species conservation process, and financed the project presented herein. The main tasks of the project were to explore tortoise distribution in the areas not covered with previous research, and to collect blood samples from both newly discovered and previously known populations. These blood samples, from different parts of the distribution range, will enable creating a DNA database, which can be used for genetic matching with DNA samples of tortoises seized at the borders. This should enable returning of these animals into their

• riginal populations. We also planned to establish

long-term population studies at recently discovered populations and educate people about the tortoises, their vulnerability and problems they encounter. Realization of the project took place in year 2013. During the fieldwork, we found 34 novels 10 x 10 km UTM squares for Hermann’s tortoise distribution is Serbia (Fig. 2), considering places where we found active animals, empty shells or

• nests. At three new localities, where we

encountered more than ten tortoises during half an hour long search, we started population studies (capture-mark-recapture). On the other hand, at several localities where presence of tortoises was not previously recorded, we found traces remarkably alike to ones made by tortoises passing through vegetation, but we were unable to find any undisputed prove that Hermann’s tortoise inhabits these places. We consider these localities as potential habitats, thus they will be visited again when higher tortoise activity is expected. For example, at the locality where we previously marked over 300 individuals, we managed to find

• nly one adult male and one nest while searching

for the needs of Rufford project. Blood samples were taken from 21 localities (Fig. 3). In populations of high densities, we took blood samples from several individuals, in order to analyse intra-population genetic variability, since these populations probably suffer the greatest illegal collecting pressure. As far as we know, Serbia is the first country of the Balkans with such collection of DNA samples of Testudo hermanni. Since the problem of illegal export of tortoises does not exist only in Serbia, forming of the similar DNA data base for Hermann’s tortoise at the level

• f Balkan Peninsula could be very useful for the

Atelier international sur la gestion et la restauration des populations et habitats de la Tortue d’Hermann International workshop on the management and restoration of Hermann’s tortoise populations and habitats Partie 3 - Brèves communications, conclusion et discours de clôture

149 species conservation. Network

• f

scientists working on this issue, and rising of DNA database could partly weaken the pressure of illegal exporting on natural populations in the Balkans. Figure 2. Map of Testudo hermanni distribution in

• Serbia. Literature data are in black spots; red spots

represent new data found during Rufford project. Figure 3. Map with 10 x 10 km UTM coordinates of populations where blood samples were collected. One of the biggest problems we encountered during the field expeditions is attitude of the residents toward Hermann’s tortoises. These animals are relatively abundant in Serbia, thus intuitively residents don’t consider them threatened in any way. Additionally, we found out that people are mostly well aware of tortoise protected status, both at national and international level. On the other hand, at most of the studied localities where tortoises are found in large numbers, residents told us that they have heard about recent illegal collecting activities. Education of the people living next to tortoises should certainly be one of the priorities for future conservation efforts, since these are the people who directly affect tortoise habitats and witness illegal collecting. They also have the most

• pportunities to protect tortoises in nature.

Looking ahead, major unresolved problem is establishing temporary shelters for Chelonians seized at the borders, since such shelters don’t exist at the territory of former Yugoslavia. As an illustration of this problem, there is a recent case

• f seizure of 128 live tortoises – 78 Testudo graeca

and 50 Testudo marginata – at the Serbian– Macedonian border. These animals were “temporarily” placed in the Palić zoo, which was the most appropriate shelter for these animals. Today, these animals are still at the same place, and unfortunately only 30 of them survived. Returning of these (survived) animals to their population of origin is not any closer to realization comparing to day when they were seized. Another example happened in 2012 on the same national border, when over 1 200 terrapins, Emys

• rbicularis were taken from the illegal exporter.

These animals were temporarily placed at the Belgrade zoo, which is the only place with the capacity to accommodate such a large number of

• terrapins. A year and half later, these animals are

Atelier international sur la gestion et la restauration des populations et habitats de la Tortue d’Hermann International workshop on the management and restoration of Hermann’s tortoise populations and habitats Partie 3 - Brèves communications, conclusion et discours de clôture

150 still in the same “temporary” shelter, and the number of living individuals is not available at the moment. In both presented cases, although zoos were willing to accommodate animals, conditions for their keeping and available animal care were suboptimal with fatal consequences. In addition, planning of Chelonians release to the wild failed. Given examples illustrate the urgent need for appropriate shelter for Chelonians in the Balkans area, similar to SOPTOM in France. Preparation of the DNA databases for all Chelonian species present in the Balkans is also very important, since they obviously suffer high illegal trade pressure.

• Acknowledgements. We are thankful to Rufford

Small Grants Foundation for financial support of the project. References Ljubisavljević, K., Džukić, G. & M., Kalezić (2011) The commercial export of the land tortoise (Testudo spp.) from the territory of the former Yugoslavia: a historical review and the impact of

• verharvesting on wild populations. North-western

journal of zoology, 7 (2): 250–260. Ljubisavljević, K., Džukić, G., Vukov, T. & M., Kalezić (2012) Morphological variability of the Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo heramnni) in the Central Balkans. Acta Herpetologica, 7(2): 273-282. Ljubisavljević, K., Džukić, G., Vukov, T. & M., Kalezić (2013) Distribution patterns of Hermann’s tortoise Testudo hermanni Gmelin, 1789, in the region of former Yugoslavia. Herpetozoa (in press). United States fish and wildlife service (1994) Desert tortoise (Mojave population) recovery plan. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon.

View publication stats View publication stats