review of non-cites amphibia species that are known or likely to be ...

main weaknesses in this law (Kalezic & Dzukic, 2001) as well as confusion regarding the
institutions in charge, and the permitted weight and length limits (Ljubisavljevic et al. 2003).
Additionally, discriminative parameters for recognizing Rana lessonae and R. shqiperica were
reported to be non-existent in the regulations (Ljubisavljevic et al. 2003).
Referring to Serbia and Montenegro together, Ljubisavljevic et al. (2003) considered that the
country no longer sustained sufficient population size for exploitation of green frogs, at least
not to the previous extent. The potential area for economically profitable harvesting of green
frogs was considered to be approximately 15% of the State’s territory (15,326 km 2 )
(Ljubisavljevic et al. 2003).
Frog harvesting within the Lake Skadar National Park was reported to take place, since the
green frogs were not protected by law in Montenegro, and successive sampling over several
years showed that excessive harvesting of green frogs in the National Park had resulted in a
decline of the average body weight (Ljubisavljevic et al. 2003).
“Frog hunters” had to migrate long distances from their home areas, which was considered to
be an indirect indication that populations of green frogs were declining in Serbia and
Montenegro (Dzukic et al., 1996).
Dzukic et al. (1996) reported that herpetologists from the Biological Institute in Belgrade have
suggested to the authorities that the exploitation of frogs be halted for at least five
consecutive years. They also indicated that all information regarding the frog trade was
unavailable to scientists”.
REFERENCES:
Ajtic, R. 2007. personal communication. E-mail correspondence between Rastko Ajtic (Institute
for Nature Conservation of Serbia) and Pablo Sinovas (UNEP-WCMC), October 2007.
Balej, P. & Jablonski, D. 2007 Amphibians and Reptiles of the Balkans. URL: www.balcanica.cz
Accessed October 2007.
Cirovic, R. & Haxhiu, R. 2001. Amphibians. In: Pulevic, V., Hadžiablahovic S., Kasom G.,
Rakocevic-Nedovic J., Nikcevic S., Pešic V., R., Cirovic R., Saveljic D., Buškovic V.,
Dhimitër D., Lefter K., Fatbrdh S., Idriz H., Taulant B., Ferdinand B., Rrok S., Marash R.
Biodiversity database of the Shkodra/Skadar Lake – Checklist of species. The Regional
Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe and the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation.
Crnobrnja-Isailovic, J. & Dzukic, G. 1995. First report about conservation status of
herpetofauna in the Skadar Lake Region (Montenegro): Current situation and
perspectives, pp. 373-380. In: Llorente, G.A., Montori, A., Santos, X. & Carretero, M.A.
(Eds) Scientia Herpetologica. Asociación Herpetológica Española, Barcelona.
Dzukic, G., Kalezic, M., Aleksic, I. and Crnobrnja, J. 1996. Green frogs exploited in the former
Yugoslavia. FrogLog 19.
Frost, D. 2007. Amphibian Species of the World 5.0. An online reference. American Museum of
Natural History. URL: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.php
Accessed October 2007.
Gasc, J.-P., Cabela, A., Crnobrnja-Isailovic, J., Dolmen, D, Grossenbacher, K., Haffner, P.,
Lescure, J., Martens, H., Martínez Rica, J. P., Maurin, H. (eds.) 1997. Atlas of amphibians and
reptiles in Europe. Societas Europaea Herpetologica & Muséum National d’Histoire
Naturelle, Paris: 496 pp.
Hotz, H., Uzzell, T., Günther, R., Tunner, H.G. and Heppich, S. 1987. Rana shqiperica, a new
European water frog species from the Adriatic Balkans (Amphibia, Salientia, Ranidae).
Notulae Naturae 468: 1-3.
ITSC. 2007. Environmental impact assessment study on regional water supply system of Montenegrin
coast from water source Bolje Sestre. Government of the Republic of Montenegro.
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