Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
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Randriamahazo, H., Fanazava, R., & Crowley, H. , Radiated tortoise of madagascar: alarming decline of the wild population. Paper presented at Turtle Survival Alliance 2007 Annual Meeting.
Added by: Admin (13 Dec 2008 22:23:51 UTC) |
| Resource type: Proceedings Article BibTeX citation key: Randriamahazo2007 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Astrochelys, Astrochelys radiata, Geochelone, Habitat = habitat, Madagaskar = Madagascar, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Testudinidae Creators: Crowley, Fanazava, Randriamahazo Collection: Turtle Survival Alliance 2007 Annual Meeting |
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| Abstract |
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Testudinidae The radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata) is endemic to the dry spiny forest of southern Madagascar. Known to be the most abundant tortoise species before 1975, the species now is considered at very high risk of extinction. What has happened? Well organized smuggling of tortoises has been occurring for several years, largely unhindered by law enforcement. At the same time, the traditional taboos held by the area’s Mahafaly and Antandroy people and that historically protected the tortoise have eroded, and the tribes now allow illegal dealers to work in their midst.. The wild tortoise population is being heavily harvested at an unsustainable rate. Adult tortoises are taken for food whereas juveniles are mostly collected for the pet trade, or used in handcrafts if they don’t survive. Our conservation activity aim is to investigate the illegal harvesting of the tortoise, and mitigate the threats whenever and wherever it is feasible. Given the broad range of the tortoise’s distribution, we have selected sites where radiated tortoises are still present in their natural habitat and where local people still have strong respect for the traditional taboo. At six intervention sites, we have assessed tortoise density, and sex and age structures following the distance sampling method. For each captured tortoise, biological measurements are taken looking at the total length and width of the carapace, the size of the plastron, and body weight. Our findings show that historically, a removal of tortoises is known at each site, with the impact on the population varying slightly between sites depending upon the harvest rate.
Added by: Admin |