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Furcifer Belalandaensis BHS Funds Belalanda Chameleon Project Issue 11Issue 8884 --4 MaMaMay - June - July 2020y 111000 11185 - 1868686 NEWNEWNEWSLETTER OF THE BRITISH HERPETOLOLOLOGICOGICOGICAL SOCIETYYY THIS ISSUE PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2020OBER 111000 BHS Funds Belalanda Chameleon Project Furcifer belalandaensis In early 2009 the BHS Captive Breeding Committee received a project proposal from Richard K. B. Jenkins and Richard A. Griffiths (Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology [UK] and Madagasikara Voakajy [Madagascar]); the proposal was approved for funding in September and fieldwork is now underway. We hope this study will lead to an effective conservation strategy for this endangered species. (Continued on next page) THE BRITISH HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY 63 Years in Herpetology Registered Charity No. 205666 Website: http://www.thebhs.org BHS Chameleon Project Background There are approximately 74 habitat around Belalanda village is chameleon species that are endemic to degraded gallery forest (Brygoo 1978; Madagascar (Raselimanana & Glaw & Vences 2007; Raxworthy & Rakotomalala 2003; Raxworthy & Nussbaum 2000). Nussbaum 2006) and many of these are Degradation and destruction of restricted to relatively small areas of gallery forest habitat in the Belalanda area remaining native forest. The Durrell is the main threat to this species although Institute of Conservation and Ecology, it has also has been subject to commercial University of Kent, and a Malagasy collection (Raxworthy & Nussbaum 2000). organisation called Madagasikara Project Objectives Voakajy (www.madagasikara- 1. Conduct thorough surveys in the voakajy.org) are engaged in a chameleon vicinity of the Belalanda village to conservation project funded by the map the local distribution of this Darwin Initiative. Madagasikara Voakajy species; (MV) is also preparing species accounts 2. Develop an understanding of its life for the IUCN to be included in Malagasy history and habitat requirements; Reptile Assessment for the Red List of 3. Assess the potential of in situ and ex Threatened Species. Preliminary situ (in country and international) assessments of the Furcifer chameleons conservation action. indicate that Furcifer belalandaensis is Methods a conservation priority. 1. Nocturnal searches of all suitable Furcifer belalandaensis habitats will be conducted to This species is known from a single determine the presence and absence locality, Belalanda, near Toliara in the of F. belalandaensis, as well as any south west (Brygoo 1978; CBSG 2002; congeners present. Glaw & Vences 2007). The last published 2. Information on morphology (snout- sighting of this species was in 1995 vent length, tail length, body mass), (Raxworthy & Nussbaum 2000) but there reproductive biology (sex, signs of have been a number of recent reported breeding), population age structure, observations and herpetologists from habitat use (nocturnal perch height, MV located a single individual in level of forest degradation) and diet September 2008 and 4 more in March (from faecal samples) will be collected. 2009. There are no published data on 3. Stakeholder discussions (primarily the population of F. belalandaensis but with the Regional Director of the it is not thought to exceed 250 individuals Ministry of Environment and Forests, (CBSG 2002). Given that recent surveys WWF and local community leaders) have failed to detect this species to determine: (Andriamandimbiarisoa 2007), its · the distribution of presumed tiny geographic range and F. belalandaensis in relation to dwindling available habitat (Raxworthy a recently proposed protected & Nussbaum 2000), it is unlikely to be area; common anywhere in its range. The · possibilities of providing 2 BHS Chameleon Project increased protection to forests CBSG. 2002. Evaluation et Plans de with F. belalandaensis; Gestion pour la Conservation · discuss options for ecotourism; (CAMP) de la Faune de Madagascar. · discuss whether ex situ Lémuriens, Autres Mammifères, conservation actions are Reptiles et Amphibiens, Poissons needed; d’eau douce et Evaluation de la · the need/feasibility for Viabilité des Populations et des establishing a ‘reserve’ captive Habitats de Hypogeomys antimena breeding population (in country (Vositse). SSC/IUCN, Apple Valley, and/or international). MN. Deliverables Glaw, F., and M. Vences 2007. A 1. Enhanced awareness amongst fieldguide to the amphibians and rep- stakeholders about the perilous tiles of Madagascar. Third Edition. conservation status of Vences & Glaw Verlag, Cologne. F. belalandaensis; Raselimanana, A. P., and D. 2. Article in British Herpetological Rakotomalala. 2003. Society Bulletin or Journal; Chamaeleonidae, Chameleons. 3. Preliminary documented species Pages 961-969 in J. Benstead, editor. conservation strategy for The Natural History of Madagascar. F. belalandaensis for submission to The University of Chicago Press, Malagasy authorities and other Chicago and London. stakeholders; Raxworthy, C. J., and R. A. Nussbaum. 4. Assessment of whether 2000. Extinction and extinction F. belalandaensis is (i) appropriate vulnerability of amphibians and for captive breeding and whether (ii) reptiles in Madagascar. Amphibian it is feasible in the medium term. and Reptile Conservation 2:15-23. Raxworthy, C. J., and R. A. Nussbaum. References 2006. Six new species of occipital- Andriamandimbiarisoa, L. N. 2007. lobed Calumma Chameleons Contribution à l’étude de l’histoire (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae) from naturelle de trois espèces de Montane Regions of Madagascar, caméléons de la région de Toliary, with a new description and revision Furcifer verrucosus (Cuvier, 1829), of Calumma brevicorne. Copeia:711- Furcifer labordi (Grandidier, 1872) 734. et Furcifer antimena (Grandidier, 1872): biologie, ecologie et ethologie Dr Simon Townson de la reproduction. Page 73. Depart- Chairman ment de Biologie Animale. Universite BHS Captive Breeding Committee. d’Antananarivo, Antananarivo. Brygoo, E. R. 1978. Reptiles Sauriens Acknowledgement: Chamaeleonidae. Genre Brookesia The funding of this project was made et complément pour le genre possible thanks to a generous donation Chamaeleo. Faune de Madagascar from the Harriet Rathborne Consultancy. 47:1-173. 3 Evergaldes Invaders Everglades may not be the Evergreen Garden of Eden for Non-Natives he Florida Everglages has Conservation Commission’s exotic species Tbecome the dumping ground for coordinator. “Iguanas definitely. From a many an unwanted pet, especially large collection of observations from people, more reptilians that have out-grown their than 50 percent fatality on green iguanas. families, such as non-native iguanas, Green iguanas really got hit hard. Lots of monitors, pythons and anacondas. freshwater fish died; no way to estimate that.” But it seems the growing population, The cold snap has played into a highly feared to be devasting local wildlife, may not politicised debate over how to prevent non- be having it all their own way. native species from colonizing the United Here are some of the reports coming out of States. Reptile dealers and hobbyists strongly the ’States which may not be to the alien invaders’ oppose a proposal by the U.S. Fish and liking: Wildlife Service to ban the import of and Cold Snap Kills Many Pythons In interstate trade in Burmese pythons and Everglades several other large snakes. They say South Vultures circled over Everglades National Florida’s cold snap shows these species don’t Park’s Anhinga Trail, where thousands of dead threaten to spread north, as some claim, and non-native fish floated in the marshes. a federal crackdown is unnecessary. About half the Burmese pythons found “Pythons are tropical animals,” said in the park recently were dead. Dead iguanas Andrew Wyatt, president of the United States have dropped from trees onto patios across Association of Reptile Keepers. “When South Florida. And in western Miami-Dade temperatures fall below a certain level, they County, three African rock pythons - are unable to survive. It reinforces the idea powerful constrictors that can kill people - that the pythons can’t exist more than a short have turned up dead. period of time north of Lake Okeechobee. Although South Florida’s warm, moist Even the pythons in the Everglades are dying climate has nurtured a vast range of non-native during the cold snap.” plants and animals, a cold snap last month Wyatt said scientists are downplaying the reminded these unwanted guests they’re not effect of cold weather on the pythons because in Burma or Ecuador any more. that would undermine their ability to win Temperatures that dropped into the 30s grants to study a problem that has received (°F) killed Burmese pythons, iguanas and international publicity. other marquee names in the state’s invasive “It’s all about money,” he said. “It’s very species zoo. Although reports so far say the little to do with the truth of fundamental cold has not eliminated any of them, it has problems on the ground.” sharply reduced their numbers, which some But federal and state wildlife officials say say may indicate South Florida is not as the cold weather has not solved the problem. welcoming to invaders as originally thought. Not only did pythons survive, but so did “Anecdotally, we might have lost maybe other invasive species, even if the cold set half of the pythons out there to the cold,” them back a bit. Along the park’s Gulf Coast, said Scott Hardin, the Florida Fish and Wildlife where old-world climbing ferns lay dense mats 4 Evergaldes Invaders over native trees, the cold snap inflicted frost hunts pythons in the Everglades, said
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