Dear Attendees of the EMYS Symposium at Košice - Fauna Carpatica

CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT
1 Association Cistude Nature, Moulin du Moulinat, Chemin du Moulinat, 33185 Le
Haillan, France
2 Corresponding author for abstract [E-mail: christophe.coic@cistude.org]
No abstract.
ORAL PRESENTATION - 18 April, 16:00 - 16:20
A management plan for the populations of Emys orbicularis
from NW Spain
ADOLFO CORDERO RIVERA 1,2 and CÉSAR AYRES FERNÁNDEZ 1
1 Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, E.U.E.T. Forestal,
Campus Universitario, 36005 Pontevedra, Spain
2 Corresponding author for abstract [E-mail: acordero@uvigo.es]
The European pond turtle is the most endangered reptile in Galicia (NW Spain).
Only 2-3 large populations are known in the region, and the species is almost absent
from North Portugal, suggesting that Galician populations are isolated at present.
Here we present an analysis of the population at the Louro river (Pontevedra
province), that is constituted of aproximately one hundred animals. Field work was
carried out from 1996 to 2001 and allowed us to estimate the sex-ratio, survivorship
and recapture rates, reproduction, mobility between ponds, and size distribution of
the population. We were unable to find the nesting areas of the studied population
and, therefore, had no information about clutch size. Nevertheless, we show from a
review of published information about other populations that clutch size can be
estimated from body size (SCL) of adult females. Population demographic
parameters were entered into the VORTEX program to perform a Population
Viability Analysis.
We identified 6 main problems for the conservation of this species in the area:
(1) Introduction of exotic species (predators: black-bass; competitors:
Trachemys scripta);
(2) Capture of wild animals for the pet trade;
(3) Direct disturbance to the animals;
(4) Population stochasticity due to small population size;
(5) Habitat destruction due to conversion of wetlands to industrial soil;
(6) Water and soil pollution.
ORAL PRESENTATION - 18 April, 15:20 - 15:40
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