Herpetological Conservation and Biology 10(2):572–582. Submitted: 4 August 2014; Accepted: 5 August 2015; Published: 31 August 2015. HABITAT MODELING AND CONSERVATION OF THE ENDEMIC LATIFI’S VIPER (MONTIVIPERA LATIFII) IN LAR NATIONAL PARK, NORTHERN IRAN ROOZBEH BEHROOZ1,2, MOHAMMAD KABOLI2,7, ELHAM NOURANI2,3, MOHSEN AHMADI2, AFSHIN ALIZADEH SHABANI2, MASOUD YOUSEFI2, ATEFEH ASADI4, AND MEHDI RAJABIZADEH5,6 1CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS - EPHE, laboratoire Biogéographie et écologie des vertébrés, 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France 2Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran 3Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Graduate School of Fisheries Science and Environmental Studies, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan 4Department of Energy and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 5Department of Biodiversity, International Center for Science, High Technology and Environmental Sciences, Kerman, Iran 7Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract.—Latifi’s Viper (Montivipera latifii), an endemic viper in the Alborz mountain chains in Iran, is facing serious threats within its last stronghold, the Lar National Park. The little information available on the distribution, population dynamics, and ecology of this scarce species, as well as its major threats, has hampered effective conservation planning. The present study was carried out to identify the main threats that affect Latifi’s Viper within Lar National Park. We accomplished this by conducting a threat matrix analysis, based on discussion with herpetological experts in this region. We also attempted to better understand the ecology of this species through habitat modeling, based on presence-absence surveys. We found that overgrazing, illegal collection, and intentional killing, as well as isolation of populations and consequently inbreeding depression, are the main threats facing Latifi’s Viper. The results of habitat modeling indicated that slope, herbaceous vegetation, and stone cover significantly affected habitat selection in spring while slope, tall and short herbaceous vegetation, tall grass cover, and stone cover affected habitat selection in summer. Our results confirm a slight difference in habitat preference of Latifi’s Viper between the two seasons. These findings are important in identifying the most suitable habitats for this species within Lar National Park. They can also be crucial for adjusting the park’s Latifi’s Viper conservation and management plans accordingly. Key Words.—analytic hierarchy process; binary logistic regression; habitat selection As a group, vipers are generally considered at-risk due INTRODUCTION to various factors. These include their small home-range size, low dispersal rate (Gregory et al. 1987), slow Latifi’s Viper (Montivipera latifii) is endemic to the growth rate, delayed sexual maturation (Parker and Alborz Mountain chain in Iran (Latifi 2000; Rajabizadeh Plummer 1987), low reproductive frequency (Saint et al. 2012). Although several species exist within this Girons 1992), seasonal shifts in habitat use (see Prestt genus, Latifi’s Viper can be distinguished from 1971; Moser et al. 1985), and high specialization in congeners by its polymorphic color pattern (Fig.1). This feeding habits (Bea et al. 1992; Santos et al. 2006). species is categorized as Endangered on the International Moreover, being venomous snakes, vipers are often Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of either disliked and killed by people or illegally collected threatened species due to its limited distribution range (˂ for the pet-trade (Dodd 1987). Habitat loss also 500 km2) and population size (˂ 2,000 mature substantially impacts viper species, because it can result individuals; Nilson 2009). Although earlier records of in population fragmentation, loss of genetic diversity, Latifi’s Viper exist from various localities in the central and local extinctions (Jäggi et al. 2000; Ujvari et al. Alborz Mountains, it is now likely restricted to the upper 2002). Lar River Valley in Lar National Park, an area that Very little is known about the ecology of Latifi’s receives partial protection from the Iranian Government Viper in Iran. Furthermore, information is lacking on the (Nilson 2009). The previously occupied regions that fall primary threats that impact this species. The primary outside of Lar National Park boundaries are now heavily goal of our research was to create a framework for the populated and unlikely to be suitable for Latifi’s Viper. enactment of conservation initiatives related to Latifi’s Copyright. © 2015. Roozbeh Behrooz 572 All Rights Reserved. Behrooz et al.—Conservation of the Latifi’s Viper. Leopard (Panthera pardus), and Brown Bear (Ursus arctos). Lar National Park is located at an elevation range of 2,505–4,253 m a.sl., in an area of the Alborz Mountains that receives heavy snow fall in the winter. The Lar Valley, with a length 70 km and a width of 7 km, supports various reptiles such as Laudakia caucasia, Vipera ebneri, and Gloydiushalys. Alpine steppe vegetation dominates the landscape, comprised largely of Eremurus spaectabilis, and Onobrychis cornuta, with Dactylorrhiza umbroza, growing in the marshy areas of the valley (Shahrab Mohit Consulting Engineers, unpubl. report). Vegetation cover is highest in spring, reaching 75% of land area, but is reduced as nomadic herders settle in the park in summer, when only bushes and shrubs such as Astragalus sp. and remains of some other herbs can be found (Shahrab Mohit Consulting Engineers, unpubl. report). Identification of threats.—Data on the threats to Latifi’s Viper are few, and limited to observations of researchers or park rangers who are familiar with the species and have worked in the study area. We used this expert knowledge, through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to gain a basic understanding of the most important threats facing Latifi’s Viperin Lar National Park. Developed by Saaty (1980), AHP belongs to the family of multi-criteria decision-making techniques. This method is particularly useful because it weighs conflicting objectives via paired-comparisons (Saaty et al. 2003). The AHP uses a fundamental scale of absolute numbers from 1 to 9 (see Appendices) to express FIGURE 1. Color patterns of Latifi’s Viper, Montivipera latifii. Two general morphs have been identified (Rajabizadeh et al. 2012): stripy individual judgments and then ranks criteria or morph (A) and zigzag morph (B). (Photographed by Alireza conflicting objectives based on the weights calculated Hashemi). from expert opinions. The AHP also determines inconsistency of judgments mathematically through Viper in Lar National Park. To compensate for the little calculation of a consistency ratio (CR). The CR is based published data available on the conservation concerns on the proportion of reciprocal matrices, and a CR value associated with this species, we set out to identify the of 0.1 or less indicates that the elicited responses are most important threats through analysis of expert acceptable (Saaty 1980). The AHP analysis was based knowledge via Analytic Hierarchy Processes (AHP). on a questionnaire (Appendix 1) completed by 15 We also attempted to elucidate aspects of this species professionals whom we considered experts on this ecology, specifically related to environmental species based on past research or interactions with it. parameters affecting habitat selection in each season. We conducted the AHP analysis with the Expert Choice We believe a better understanding of this snake’s habitat software (Expert Choice 1999) to calculate the needs will provide a mechanism to develop effective quantitative scale of the expert opinion as the criteria strategies for habitat management and/or conservation weight. related to Latifi’s Viper. Field surveys and data collection for modeling.— MATERIALS AND METHODS Previous studies on vipers have suggested that factors such as topography (e.g., altitude, slope), climate (e.g., Study area.—We studied vipers in the 27,547 ha Lar precipitation, evapotranspiration, and minimum and National Park (35°52'–36°05̍'N, 51°33'– 52°59'E), 70 km maximum temperature), and land cover are the best northeast of the capital city of Tehran, Iran (Fig. 2). Lar predictors of occurrence (Martínez-Freiría et al. 2008). National Park was originally designated as a protected Prey abundance (Sawant et al. 2010) and human-related area for large mammals such as Alborz Red Sheep (Ovis variables, such as landscape alterations and human orientalis), Wild Goat (Capra aegagrus), Persian density (Santos et al. 2006), have also been identified as 573 Herpetological Conservation and Biology. FIGURE 2. Location of Lar National Park within Alborz mountain chain. Zonation of the park based on its present management plan is shown. The Lar Dam, with a height of 105 m and crown length and width of 52.3 and 35.4 m, respectively, has a maximum reservoir area of 17 km2. The dam is used for producing hydroelectric power and also to provide drinking water for the capital city of Tehran. affecting viper habitat selection. Based on this which were searched for Latifi’s Vipers on three knowledge and our observations of Latifi’s Viper occasions. The three replicate surveys of a given plot behavior in Lar National Park, the following variables were conducted at 24-h intervals (about 0700–1000) and were recognized to be the most important in the habitat the level of effort was standardized by time (about