On the Ecology of the Caspian Turtle Mauremys Caspica in Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve, Gaza Strip, Palestine

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

On the ecology of the Caspian Turtle Mauremys caspica in Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve, Gaza Strip, Palestine Abdel Fattah N. Abd Rabou Department of Biology, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Reptiles are common biodiversity elements in the various Palestinian ecosystems. They comprise such principal categories like lizards, snakes and turtles (tortoises, terrapins and sea turtles). The Caspian Turtle Mauremys caspica inhabits all types of fresh to brackish perennial water bodies of Palestine. The wetland ecosystem of Wadi Gaza is a keystone resource of many wildlife species including the Caspian Turtle. The escalating deterioration of the wetland ecosystem of Wadi Gaza accelerated the conduction of the current study which aims at investigating some ecological aspects associated with the Caspian Turtle in Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve. Frequent field visits and multiple meetings and discussions with local people were good tools for the conduction of the current study. The findings showed that the Caspian Turtle occurs in the western aquatic to semi-aquatic portion of Wadi Gaza which extends from the Salah Eddin bridge to the Mediterranean. The species was found to thrive in the shallow and highly polluted standing and slow-flowing sewage lagoons and canals in Wadi Gaza. The absence of suitable perennial water bodies in the eastern part of wadi Gaza seems to limit the distribution of the species eastward. The majority of local people were aware about the occurrence of the species in Wadi Gaza and they did not see it elsewhere in the Gaza Strip. The main threats facing the existence of the species in Wadi Gaza as noted by the author or claimed by the local people were (1) the current massive destruction, alteration or burial of the wetland ecosystem of wadi Gaza, (2) the ongoing poaching, netting and killing of the species by children for unclear reasons, (3) turtle collection for use as a pet or zoo animal, (4) reed-harvesting practices, and (5) road kills of the species while crossing roads separating water ponds. The impacts of water pollution on the Caspian Turtle needs more research. The author recommends rehabilitating and improving the total environment of Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve in a sustainable fashion. The enforcement of environmental laws concerning the protection of wildlife species in the Gaza Strip in general and the Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve in particular is of an utmost priority to the Palestinians. Key Words: Caspian Turtle, Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve, Wetlands, Sewage, Gaza Strip..

Copy Link

Recommended publications

13914444D46c0aa91d02e31218
2 Breeding of wild and some domestic animals at regional zoological institutions in 2013 3 РЫБЫ P I S C E S ВОББЕЛОНГООБРАЗНЫЕ ORECTOLOBIFORMES Сем. Азиатские кошачьи акулы (Бамбуковые акулы) – Hemiscyllidae Коричневополосая бамбуковая акула – Chiloscyllium punctatum Brownbanded bambooshark IUCN (NT) Sevastopol 20 ХВОСТОКОЛООБРАЗНЫЕ DASYATIFORMES Сем. Речные хвостоколы – Potamotrygonidae Глазчатый хвостокол (Моторо) – Potamotrygon motoro IUCN (DD) Ocellate river stingray Sevastopol - ? КАРПООБРАЗНЫЕ CYPRINIFORMES Сем. Цитариновые – Citharinidae Серебристый дистиход – Distichodusaffinis (noboli) Silver distichodus Novosibirsk 40 Сем. Пираньевые – Serrasalmidae Серебристый метиннис – Metynnis argenteus Silver dollar Yaroslavl 10 Обыкновенный метиннис – Metynnis schreitmuelleri (hypsauchen) Plainsilver dollar Nikolaev 4; Novosibirsk 100; Kharkov 20 Пятнистый метиннис – Metynnis maculatus Spotted metynnis Novosibirsk 50 Пиранья Наттерера – Serrasalmus nattereri Red piranha Novosibirsk 80; Kharkov 30 4 Сем. Харацидовые – Characidae Красноплавничный афиохаракс – Aphyocharax anisitsi (rubripinnis) Bloodfin tetra Киев 5; Perm 10 Парагвайский афиохаракс – Aphyocharax paraquayensis Whitespot tetra Perm 11 Рубиновый афиохаракс Рэтбина – Aphyocharax rathbuni Redflank bloodfin Perm 10 Эквадорская тетра – Astyanax sp. Tetra Perm 17 Слепая рыбка – Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus (Anoptichthys jordani) Mexican tetra Kharkov 10 Рублик-монетка – Ctenobrycon spilurus (+ С. spilurusvar. albino) Silver tetra Kharkov 20 Тернеция (Траурная тетра) – Gymnocorymbus
[Show full text]
(Testudines: Geoemydidae) from the Azov Sea Coast in the Crimea
Official journal website: Amphibian & Reptile Conservation amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 10(2) [General Section]: 27–29 (e129). Short Communication A record of the Balkan Stripe-necked Terrapin, Mauremys rivulata (Testudines: Geoemydidae) from the Azov Sea Coast in the Crimea 1Oleg V. Kukushkin and 2Daniel Jablonski 1Department of Herpetology, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya Emb. 1, 199034 Saint Pe- tersburg, RUSSIA 2Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, SLOVAKIA Keywords. Mauremys rivulata, first record, Crimea, Kerch peninsula, Azov Sea, overseas dispersal, occasional relocation Citation: Kukushkin O V, Jablonski D. 2016. A record of the Balkan Stripe-necked Terrapin, Mauremys rivulata (Testudines: Geomydidae) from the Azov Sea Coast in Crimea. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 10(2) [General Section]: 27–29 (e129). Copyright: © 2016 Kukushkin and Jablonski. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercialNoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use for non-commercial and education purposes only, in any medium, provided the original author and the official and authorized publication sources are recognized and properly credited. The official and authorized publication credit sources, which will be duly enforced, are as follows: official journal titleAmphibian & Reptile Conservation; official journal website <amphibian-reptile-conservation.org>. Received: 03 September 2016; Accepted: 7 November 2016; Published: 30 November 2016 The Crimean herpetofauna comprises such true Eastern- limestone rocks on the abrasion-accumulative sea coast Mediterranean species as Mediodactylus kotschyi and below the lake (Fig. 1B). In general, the locality remains Zamenis situla (Sillero et al. 2014). The occurrence of typical of habitats of M.
[Show full text]
Trade in Live Reptiles, Its Impact on Wild Populations, and the Role of the European Market
BIOC-06813; No of Pages 17 Biological Conservation xxx (2016) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Biological Conservation journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/bioc Review Trade in live reptiles, its impact on wild populations, and the role of the European market Mark Auliya a,⁎,SandraAltherrb, Daniel Ariano-Sanchez c, Ernst H. Baard d,CarlBrownd,RafeM.Browne, Juan-Carlos Cantu f,GabrieleGentileg, Paul Gildenhuys d, Evert Henningheim h, Jürgen Hintzmann i, Kahoru Kanari j, Milivoje Krvavac k, Marieke Lettink l, Jörg Lippert m, Luca Luiselli n,o, Göran Nilson p, Truong Quang Nguyen q, Vincent Nijman r, James F. Parham s, Stesha A. Pasachnik t,MiguelPedronou, Anna Rauhaus v,DannyRuedaCórdovaw, Maria-Elena Sanchez x,UlrichScheppy, Mona van Schingen z,v, Norbert Schneeweiss aa, Gabriel H. Segniagbeto ab, Ruchira Somaweera ac, Emerson Y. Sy ad,OguzTürkozanae, Sabine Vinke af, Thomas Vinke af,RajuVyasag, Stuart Williamson ah,1,ThomasZieglerai,aj a Department Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Conservation (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany b Pro Wildlife, Kidlerstrasse 2, 81371 Munich, Germany c Departamento de Biología, Universidad del Valle de, Guatemala d Western Cape Nature Conservation Board, South Africa e Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA f Bosques de Cerezos 112, C.P. 11700 México D.F., Mexico g Dipartimento di Biologia, Universitá Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy h Amsterdam, The Netherlands
[Show full text]
Proposals for Amendments to Appendices I and Ii
CoP 16 Prop. xx CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA ______________________ Sixteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (Bangkok, Thailand), March 3-14, 2013 CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSALS FOR AMENDMENTS TO APPENDICES I AND II A. Proposal Inclusion of the following taxa of the Family Geoemydidae in Appendix II: Cyclemys spp., Geoemyda japonica, G. spengleri, Hardella thurjii, Mauremys japonica, M. nigricans, Melanochelys trijuga, Morenia petersi, Sacalia bealei, S. quadriocellata, and Vijayachelys silvatica. This proposal is in accordance with Article II paragraph 2(a) of the Convention, satisfying Criterion B, Annex 2a of Res. Conf. 9.24 (Rev CoP15). This proposal seeks a zero quota on wild specimens for commercial purposes for the following taxa: Batagur borneoensis, B. trivittata, Cuora aurocapitata, C. flavomarginata, C. galbinifrons, C. mccordi, C. mouhotii, C. pani, C. trifasciata, C. yunnanensis, C. zhoui, Heosemys annandalii, H. depressa, Mauremys annamensis, and Orlitia borneensis. For a complete list of species see Table 1 B. Proponent People’s Republic of China and the United States of America*1 C. Supporting Statement 1. Taxonomy 1.1 Class: Reptilia By Stephen D Nash 1.2 Order: Testudines 1.3 Family: Geoemydidae Theobald 1868a 1.4 Genus, species or subspecies: * The geographical designations employed in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the CITES Secretariat or the United Nations Environment Programme concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The responsibility for the contents of the document rests exclusively with its author.
[Show full text]
Invasion of the Turtles? Wageningen Approach
Alterra is part of the international expertise organisation Wageningen UR (University & Research centre). Our mission is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. Within Wageningen UR, nine research institutes – both specialised and applied – have joined forces with Wageningen University and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With approximately 40 locations (in the Netherlands, Brazil and China), 6,500 members of staff and 10,000 students, Wageningen UR is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. The integral approach to problems and the cooperation between the exact sciences and the technological and social disciplines are at the heart of the Invasion of the turtles? Wageningen Approach. Alterra is the research institute for our green living environment. We offer a combination of practical and scientific Exotic turtles in the Netherlands: a risk assessment research in a multitude of disciplines related to the green world around us and the sustainable use of our living environment, such as flora and fauna, soil, water, the environment, geo-information and remote sensing, landscape and spatial planning, man and society. Alterra report 2186 ISSN 1566-7197 More information: www.alterra.wur.nl/uk R.J.F. Bugter, F.G.W.A. Ottburg, I. Roessink, H.A.H. Jansman, E.A. van der Grift and A.J. Griffioen Invasion of the turtles? Commissioned by the Invasive Alien Species Team of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority Invasion of the turtles? Exotic turtles in the Netherlands: a risk assessment R.J.F.
[Show full text]
Enterobacteriaceae Opportunism Isolated from Caspian Turtle
Mesopot. J. Mar. Sci., 2020, 35(1): 35 - 42 Enterobacteriaceae opportunism isolated from Caspian Turtle Mauremys caspica (Gmelin, 1774) suffering from a fracture of the external shell, East of Al-Hammar Marshes, Iraq E.T. Mohammad*, N.A.H. Al-Shammari and M.A.A. Bannai Marine Science Center, University of Basrah, Basrah - Iraq *e-mail:[email protected] (Received: 30 December 2019 - Accepted: 14 June 2020) Abstract - Caspian Turtles Mauremys caspica (Gmelin, 1774) are classified as an endangered species on the IUCN red list, by a variety of dangers including hunting, deliberate killings and infectious diseases. The present report included the Opportunistic bacterial isolation which caused clinical signs on the M. caspica Turtles caught from the East Al-Hammar freshwater marshes, during summer 2017. It was suffering from a fracture of the external shell, tissue damage, bacterial growth and acute inflammation of the body tissues. The common clinical signs were external hemorrhage, histopathological changes revealed degeneration and necrosis in all organs associated with chronic inflammatory cell infiltration and Melanomacrophage cells were detected in all turtle tissues. The most common macroscopic lesions found on the skin of the turtle and ulcerative skin, the result in abscesses and dermatitis, regenerative changes on skin lesions and ulcerative deep necrotic and gangrenous changes in the turtle examined. Four different genera of family Enterobacteriaceae which identified by the VITEK II system, with a probability level of 94-99%, Citrobacter freundii (29.06%), Klebsiella oxytoca (25.58%), Serratia fonticola (24.41%) and Enterobacter cloacae (20.41%). The result showed that of a total of sixty-five bacterial isolates from the necrotic lesions skin tissue, some of them which are considered a potential threat to the public health.
[Show full text]
Biosecurity Amendment (Schedules to Act) Regulation 2017 Under the Biosecurity Act 2015
New South Wales Biosecurity Amendment (Schedules to Act) Regulation 2017 under the Biosecurity Act 2015 His Excellency the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, has made the following Regulation under the Biosecurity Act 2015. NIALL BLAIR, MLC Minister for Primary Industries Explanatory note The objects of this Regulation are: (a) to update the lists of pests and diseases of plants, pests and diseases of animals, diseases of aquatic animals, pest marine and freshwater finfish and pest marine invertebrates (set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Biosecurity Act 2015 (the Act)) that are prohibited matter throughout the State, and (b) to update the description (set out in Part 2 of Schedule 2 to the Act) of the part of the State in which Daktulosphaira vitifoliae (Grapevine phylloxera) is a prohibited matter, and (c) to include (in Schedule 3 to the Act) lists of non-indigenous amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles in respect of which dealings are prohibited or permitted, and (d) to provide (in Schedule 4 to the Act) that certain dealings with bees and certain non-indigenous animals require biosecurity registration, and (e) to update savings and transitional provisions with respect to existing licences (in Schedule 7 to the Act). This Regulation is made under the Biosecurity Act 2015, including sections 27 (4), 151 (2), 153 (2) and 404 (the general regulation-making power) and clause 1 (1) and (5) of Schedule 7. Published LW 2 June 2017 (2017 No 230) Biosecurity Amendment (Schedules to Act) Regulation 2017 [NSW] Biosecurity Amendment (Schedules to Act) Regulation 2017 under the Biosecurity Act 2015 1 Name of Regulation This Regulation is the Biosecurity Amendment (Schedules to Act) Regulation 2017.
[Show full text]
Invasion of the Turtles? Wageningen Approach
Alterra is part of the international expertise organisation Wageningen UR (University & Research centre). Our mission is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. Within Wageningen UR, nine research institutes – both specialised and applied – have joined forces with Wageningen University and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With approximately 40 locations (in the Netherlands, Brazil and China), 6,500 members of staff and 10,000 students, Wageningen UR is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. The integral approach to problems and the cooperation between the exact sciences and the technological and social disciplines are at the heart of the Invasion of the turtles? Wageningen Approach. Alterra is the research institute for our green living environment. We offer a combination of practical and scientific Exotic turtles in the Netherlands: a risk assessment research in a multitude of disciplines related to the green world around us and the sustainable use of our living environment, such as flora and fauna, soil, water, the environment, geo-information and remote sensing, landscape and spatial planning, man and society. Alterra report 2186 ISSN 1566-7197 More information: www.alterra.wur.nl/uk R.J.F. Bugter, F.G.W.A. Ottburg, I. Roessink, H.A.H. Jansman, E.A. van der Grift and A.J. Griffioen Invasion of the turtles? Commissioned by the Invasive Alien Species Team of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority Invasion of the turtles? Exotic turtles in the Netherlands: a risk assessment R.J.F.
[Show full text]
Testudines Geoemydidae) in the Ae - Gean Island of Chalki: Native Or Introduced?
Biodiversity Journal , 2017, 8 (3): 851–854 The Balkan Terrapin Mauremys rivulata (Valenciennes in Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) (Testudines Geoemydidae) in the Ae - gean island of Chalki: native or introduced? Mauro Grano 1* & Cristina Cattaneo 2 ¹Via Valcenischia 24, 00141 Rome, Italy; e-mail: [email protected] ²Via Eleonora d’Arborea 12, 00162 Rome, Italy; e-mail: [email protected] *Corresponding author ABSTRACT The presence of the Balkan Terrapin Mauremys rivulata (Valenciennes in Bory de Saint-Vin - cent, 1833) (Testudines Geoemydidae) for the Aegean island of Chalki (Dodecanese, Greece), is here recorded for the first time. Mauremys rivulata is common in continental Greece and quite widespread in many Aegean islands, however, its presence in Chalki, extremely dry is - land and poor of water resources, leads to important thoughts and questions. KEY WORDS Balkan Terrapin; Chalki; Dodecanese; Mauremys rivulata ; Rhodes Archipelago. Received 29.08.2017; accepted 12.09.2017; printed 30.09.2017 INTRODUCTION of natural and man-made habitats from streams to seasonal ponds, lakes, brackish coastal lagoons and Mauremys rivulata (Valenciennes in Bory de drainage ditches, irrigation canals, dams and reser - Saint-Vincent, 1833) (Testudines Geoemydidae) is voirs. Also is highly tolerant of a wide range of a medium-sized freshwater turtle. Shell size reaches water conditions; it is found in acid, alkaline, and a straight carapace length of up to 244 mm in fe- several polluted and brackish water bodies (Gasith males, and up to 187 mm in the slightly smaller & Sidis, 1983; Sidis & Gasith, 1985) and it has a males (Rifai & Amr, 2004; Mantziou, 2006).
[Show full text]
Biosecurity Risk Assessment
An Invasive Risk Assessment Framework for New Animal and Plant-based Production Industries RIRDC Publication No. 11/141 RIRDCInnovation for rural Australia An Invasive Risk Assessment Framework for New Animal and Plant-based Production Industries by Dr Robert C Keogh February 2012 RIRDC Publication No. 11/141 RIRDC Project No. PRJ-007347 © 2012 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-74254-320-8 ISSN 1440-6845 An Invasive Risk Assessment Framework for New Animal and Plant-based Production Industries Publication No. 11/141 Project No. PRJ-007347 The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances. While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this publication to ensure that information is true and correct, the Commonwealth of Australia gives no assurance as to the accuracy of any information in this publication. The Commonwealth of Australia, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or omission, made in reliance on the contents of this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia, RIRDC, the authors or contributors. The Commonwealth of Australia does not necessarily endorse the views in this publication.
[Show full text]
A Caspian Turtle (Testudo Caspica) Watercolour
Aloys ZÖTL (Freistadt 1803 - Eferding 1887) A Caspian Turtle (Testudo caspica) Watercolour. Laid down. Signed and dated Alois Zötl fecit am 5 Februar 1881 at the lower right. Inscribed Amphibien Taf.17 at the lower left, and titled Die caspische Schildkröte Testudo caspica. in the bottom margin. Numbered 9 in the lower right margin. 325 x 445 mm. (11 3/4 x 17 1/2 in.) [image] 439 x 546 mm. (17 1/4 x 21 1/2 in.) [sheet] Five further depictions of various species of turtles, bearing dates between 1880 and 1882, were included in an auction of 150 large watercolours from Aloys Zötl’s studio, held in Paris in 1955, while two others appeared in a second sale of 170 watercolours the following year. Other studies of turtles, dated 1861, 1867 and 1880 as part of the Amphibien series, are illustrated in a recent monograph on the artist’s watercolours. A similar watercolour of a Tortue Bleue, dated 31 August 1881, was acquired by André Breton at the first sale of Zotl’s watercolours, and recently appeared at auction in Paris. Artist description: From 1831 until his death in 1887, the obscure Austrian dyer and amateur artist Aloys Zötl produced an extensive series of very large and beautifully drawn watercolours of exotic animals, known as the Bestiarium. This massive project was to be his life’s work, although its purpose remains unknown. The watercolours of the Bestiarium, characterized by a brilliant technique and rich colouring, allied to the unbridled imagination of the artist, do not seem to have ever been reproduced in Zötl’s lifetime, either as prints or in the form of a book.
[Show full text]
Chelonian Advisory Group Regional Collection Plan 4Th Edition December 2015
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Chelonian Advisory Group Regional Collection Plan 4th Edition December 2015 Editor Chelonian TAG Steering Committee 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Steering Committee Structure ........................................................................................................... 3 Officers, Steering Committee Members, and Advisors ..................................................................... 4 Taxonomic Scope ............................................................................................................................. 6 Space Analysis Space .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Survey ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Current and Potential Holding Table Results ............................................................................. 8 Species Selection Process Process ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Decision Tree ........................................................................................................................... 13 Decision Tree Results .............................................................................................................
[Show full text]