Mark Pestov
Other projects
11 Jul 2006
Conservation of the Mediterranean Tortoise, (Testudo graeca nikolskii) on the Black Sea Coast of the Caucasus, Russian Federation: Evaluation, Education, and Population Augmentation
27 Aug 2008
Study and Conservation of the Mediterranean Spur-Thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca) in Caucasus
The project seeks to ensure the preservation of the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo graeca) by consolidating the efforts of herpetologists, conservation biologists, government agencies, NGOs and the general public. The main aim of the project is creation of conditions for saving populations and subspecies variety of Mediterranean tortoise in the Caucasus.
The coordinator of the project, Dr. Mark Pestov with very large individual of Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise
The primary goals of the project in 2010-2011:
1. Estimation of modern distribution and number of Testudo graeca in the Russian Federation and Abkhazia, discovering the most important habitats ("key habitats"), estimation of their protection and influence of main limited factors. We plan to pay a special attention to northern and southern borders of the area of this species where its distribution is investigated not enough.
2. Prevention of illegal catching and selling of tortoises, protection of most important habitats in cooperation with the State structures for Nature Conservation of the Russian Federation and the Abkhazia Republic;
3. Collection of Mediterranean tortoises from their owners or their confiscation from illegal trade and returning them to the wild;
4. Making wide public support of the project by raising awareness about problems of tortoise's
protection;
5. Elaboration of recommendations for saving of Testudo graeca for the State structures for Nature Conservation of the Russian Federation and Abkhazia Republic; projection of new reservations in the most important habitats;
6. Development of the Center of rehabilitation and nursery for Testudo graeca, first in Russia on the basis of private "Safari-park" (Gelendjik city in Krasnodar area). Its main task is reproduction of this reptiles and reintroduction of its youth to their natural inhabitations.
The Project main news in 2010:
1. The officials of the Supervisory Natural Recourses Management Service on our initiative confiscated 8 young Mediterranean tortoises (aged 1-7 years) from illegal trade in the market (Novorossisk city, Krasnodar area). The animals were transferred to the our rehabilitation centre in "Safari - park" (Gelendzhik city, Krasnodar area).
2. Together with the Chairman of the Committee on Ecology and Wildlife Management of the Abkhazia Republic Dr. Roman S. Dbar we have visited the most important habitats (key habitats) of Testudo graeca which we found in 2009 near the borders of the Pitsunda-Mjussersky Reserve. During our joint work the decision on giving the status of especially protected natural territory for these key habitats was made.