Shell is not enough anymore - Rufford finance gathering of crucial data for conservation of Chelonians in Serbia

Abstract

Chelonians in Serbia, and generally at Balkan Peninsula, suffer great deal of anthropogenic pressure. Among others, major threats are illegal collecting and international trade. Although Testudo hermanni Gmelin, 1789 and Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) are protected both at national and international levels, our knowledge about their distribution and population trends in Serbia are very limited. Lackof these crucial information disables efficient protection of the species. For example, in Red Book of reptiles of Serbia (2015), European pond turtle is assessed as Data Deficient! Main aims of my Rufford projects were gathering of urgently needed data on distribution, threatening factors and gathering of DNA samples of Hermann's tortoises and European pond turtles. During 2013 and 2015 many novel and useful data were collected, among which 45 new UTM (10 x 10 km) squares for distribution of Hermann's tortoise and 36 new UTM (10 x 10 km) squares for distribution of European pond turtle. These data vastly changed our knowledge on distribution of these species in Serbia. Also, at some apparently healthy and numerous populations, long-term Capture-Mark-Recapture studies have been started, aiming to determine population trends. With collected DNA samples, basis for genetic data pool is made. These samples are available for genetic matching of Chelonians seized at national borders, in order to find their populations of origin and enable their fast return into the wild.