Updated Distribution of the European Pond Turtle Emys Orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Its Conservation Issues in Serbia
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Arch. Biol. Sci., Belgrade, 67(3), 1043-1053, 2015 DOI:10.2298/ABS150210067K UPDATED DISTRIBUTION OF THE EUROPEAN POND TURTLE EMYS ORBICULARIS (LINNAEUS, 1758) AND ITS CONSERVATION ISSUES IN SERBIA Imre Krizmanić1,*, Aleksandar Urošević2, Aleksandar Simović3, Milivoj Krstić3, Danko Jović4, Rastko Ajtić5, Marko Anđelković2, Maja Slijepčević2, Sonja Đorđević1, Ana Golubović1, Vladimir Žikić6 and Georg Džukić2 1 University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Belgrade, Serbia 2 University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, Belgrade, Serbia 3 Serbian Herpetological Society “Milutin Radovanović”, Belgrade, Serbia 4 Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, Niš, Serbia 5 Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, New Belgrade, Serbia 6 University of Niš, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Biology and Ecology, Niš, Serbia. *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract: Although the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) has been included in studies for several decades, the information about its distribution and the state of populations in Serbia is still incomplete. The data collected from the available literature sources, and those based on the authors’ own field investigations, indicate that E. orbicularis occupies a large part of the territory of the Republic of Serbia, preferring aquatic biotopes at lower altitudes. We compiled a list of 287 localities where the presence of the pond turtle has been recorded. Of those, 14% (40 localities) were known only from literature sources, localities added during our field investigations represent 82% (235 sites), 4% (12 localities) confirming literature data. We also gathered information on the main negative threats to the endurance of the pond turtle in Serbia. These are habitat pollution, degradation and destruction, and the spread of allochthonous invasive turtle species. Some protective and conservation measures are suggested in the conclusion. Key words: Emys orbicularis; distribution; protection; Serbia Received February 10, 2015; Revised March 24, 2015; Accepted March 25, 2015 INTRODUCTION 2001; Arnold and Ovenden, 2002; Stuckas et al., 2014). As a semiaquatic freshwater species (Ficetola and De According to Fritz et al. (2007), the only autochthonous Bernardi, 2006), the pond turtle can be found in most representative of freshwater turtles in Serbia, the Euro- inland waters. It prefers sunlit, stagnant or slowly flow- pean pond turtle, belongs to the nominotypical sub- ing waters surrounded by dense vegetation, at altitudes species Emys orbicularis orbicularis (Linnaeus 1758). ranging the sea level to 1700 m a.s.l. (Podloucky, 1997). Its distribution area ranges from Denmark, parts of the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal Despite the relatively long period of herpetologi- in the west, to Kazakhstan, the Aral Sea and the Ural cal research in Serbia (Džukić, 1977), understanding Mountains in the east, and from the northern parts of the distribution and vulnerability of this species has Germany and Russia to southern Italy, Sicily and North so far been incomplete and fragmentary. The earliest Africa at the far south. To the southeast, it extends accounts of the presence of E. orbicularis in Serbia through Turkey and the Middle East, to eastern Cau- date back to the second half of the 19th and begin- casus, the southern shores of the Caspian Sea and Turk- ning of 20th century (Pančić, 1869; Đorđević, 1900a, menistan, i.e. to Iran and Syria (Podloucky, 1997; Fritz, b). In the subsequent decades, and only sporadically, 1043 1044 Krizmanić et al. data on the distribution of this species were compiled, other colleagues (see Acknowledgments). Some data but only at the level of zoogeographical and faunis- originated from the collection of the Museum of Natu- tic studies of amphibians and reptiles on the terri- ral History in Vienna. We also included some informa- tory of the former Yugoslavia (Karaman, 1939, 1948; tion from field herpetology websites (www.euroherp. Radovanović, 1951, 1964). The majority of literature com, http://en.balcanica.info, www.teraristika.org) and data is concentrated in papers presenting the fauna from the portal dedicated to mapping and monitoring of amphibians and reptiles on regional or local scales, the biological diversity of Serbia (http://www.bioras. e.g. mountain ranges, important aquatic ecosystems petnica.rs). For the usage of these data, we followed the and areas significant in terms of nature conserva- terms and conditions of the websites and, where neces- tion (Pasuljević, 1968; Crnobrnja and Rohalj, 1988; sary, asked the authors for permissions. During recent Džukić, 1972, 1998; Krizmanić, 1996, 1998, 2000a, field investigations, other than visually observing and b, 2002; Panjković et al., 2000; Dobretić, 2011a, b). catching the animals with nets and/or by hand, we used The first comprehensive and analytical review of the funnel traps (150 cm and 200 cm long, 50 cm in diam- diversity of herpetofauna to mention this species was eter). A total of 287 records were compiled, over 70% of done for the former Yugoslavia (Džukić, 1995). The which (235) were the authors’ previously unpublished first general presence assessment of E. orbicularis on data. We adopted the altitudinal classification of the the territory of Serbia (Tomović et al., 2014) provided territory of Serbia into the Pannonian, Peripannonian only a contour map, without precise locality data. and mountain-valley regions of Marković (1980). All At the international level, E. orbicularis is treated available records were mapped on 10 x 10 km and 50 as Near Threatened (Cox and Temple, 2009). How- x 50 km UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) geo- ever, this assessment was published in 1996 and needs graphic coordinate grid systems. updating. The pond turtle is also listed in the An- nexes II and IV of the European Commission Coun- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION cil Directive (Council of the European Communities, 1992 a,b), and Appendix II of the Bern Convention Distribution on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natu- ral Habitats (Council of Europe, 1979). In Serbia, E. orbicularis inhabits a large part of the terri- The pond turtle in Serbia is strictly protected un- tory. Being dependent on the presence of aquatic habi- der the Law on Nature Protection from 2009, and the tats, its distribution is not uniform, but populations can Ordinance to Designate and Protect the Strictly Pro- be locally abundant. In general, E. orbicularis was de- tected and Protected Species of Wild Plants, Animals tected in 287 localities. These comprise 168 out of the and Fungi, Appendix 1 from 2010(a). 1004 (16.7%) 10x10 km UTM squares covering Serbia (Fig. 1). The presence and, in particular, abundance of The purpose of this paper was to present the cur- the pond turtle in Serbia is determined by geographical rent knowledge of the distribution of E. orbicularis and other abiotic conditions in its habitats, mainly by in Serbia based on precise locality information, and altitude and the presence of adequate aquatic biotopes to indicate the major factors threatening its survival. (Radovanović, 1951). Considering that the territory of Serbia can be tentatively divided into two parts strong- ly differing in topography and hydrology (Marković, MATERIALS AND METHODS 1980), there is a marked difference in the abundance of The information on the distribution of E. orbicularis pond turtles in lowland areas compared to mountain- in Serbia was obtained from literature sources, the ous regions. The majority of localities (195, app. 68%) authors’ field observations, and field data donated by were located in the territory of the Vojvodina prov- D ISTRIBUTION AND PROTECTION OF EMYS ORBICULARIS 1045 ince (altitudes ranging from 65 m to 300 m − Fruška venture far from water; however, during the reproduc- Gora Mountain, DR00). Only 2 localities (Vranje, Sv. tive season, as well as before and after hibernation, sev- Ilija Hill – EN61 and Priština, Grmija Hill – EN12, eral individuals were recorded at large distances from EN22) inhabited by this species lie above 1 000 m. We their aquatic habitats. The maximum distance from concluded that E. orbicularis in Serbia inhabits areas water recorded was 2.4 km: we found a pond turtle with (sub-)Mediterranean and temperate-continental killed by a vehicle on the road between the villages of climates, which is in accordance with the division pro- Hajdukovo and Male Pijace (DS 10). posed by Stevanović and Stevanović (1995). Legislation, threats and protection In Serbia, E. orbicularis can be found in almost all types of aquatic biotopes with stagnant and slowly Despite the existence of legal protection of turtles in flowing waters. Its populations are particularly nu- Serbia from 2009 and 2010(a), there is no informa- merous in aquatic biotopes with abundant vegetation: tion concerning the status of the pond turtle popula- mainly backwaters, stagnant tributaries and floodplains tions. In addition, objectives and tasks in their moni- of the rivers Danube, Sava, Tisa, Begej, etc. Large popu- toring are not established. Therefore, apart from the lations were also recorded in artificial aquatic habitats basic protective regulations no specific and practical such as canals, fishponds, various types of pits and ar- measures have been prescribed and undertaken with tificial lakes in the parks of larger cities. Turtles rarely regard to pond turtle protection. In many European countries, the rapid degradation