Legal status and assessment of conservation threats to vipers (Reptilia: Squamata: Viperidae) of the Western and Central Balkans

Abstract

Vipers display high specific and sub-specific diversity in the Balkans, but available atlases and red data books provide no precise data about legal status and conservation threats. the three viper species in the Balkans share several conservation problems: lack of systematic study and public interest, "historical and political burdens," lack of knowledge, superstitions and fear among people, increasing urbanization, habitat destruction, illegal collection, as well as lack of adequate (or no) legislation at the country level. here we present an overview of legal status of vipers across five countries (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and herzegovina, montenegro, and the former Yugoslav republic of macedonia) and present precise information about particular conservation problems. moreover, we propose conservation priorities and measures for each viper species in each country based on already standardized analyses. We calculated an overall index of relative environmental sensitivity. vipera ursinii was indicated as a species in serious threat of decline (mean score value of 1.9) and v. berus as species possibly vulnerable to decline (score 1.2). vipera ammodytes was indicated as species with low risk of decline (0.7). Based on these scores and previously published distribution data, we made an analysis of important viper areas to indicate areas of special concern.