Investigation of habitat preference and population dynamics of Bolkar viper, Montivipera bulgardaghica bulgardaghica (Nilson Andren, 1985) in Bolkar Mountains.

Project no. 22808 · Status: Kapanmış · 2021

Summary

Bolkar Viper, Montivipera bulgardaghica, is ditribuded in Turkey and Syria, Syrian coastal mountain range, east of Bolkar Mountain which is a chain of Taurus mountain range (Ulukışla, Niğde), Kayseri, Kulmaç Mountains (Sivas/Malatya), Mersin, Adana, Hatay, Tunceli, Erzincan, Mount Balık (Kahramanmaraş) and Mount Nemrut (Adıyaman). Within the scope of this major t, it aimed to study and compare the habitat preferences, some population parameters (morphology, sex ratio, population density, reproductive biology and nutrition) and colour-pattern variations in two different regions (Karboğazı/Mersin, Göller Plateau/Adana) in the nominate subspecies, M. b.bulgardaghica.During the Project period, we did 98 days of fieldwork in 4 localities in 2 regions (Karboğazı and Göller Plateau). A total of 106 vipers (58 Karboğazı, 48 Göller Plateau) were caught and 66 vipers (40 Karboğazı, 26 Göller Yaylası) marked. 40 of the vipers caught were males, and 26 were females. The average snout-vent length is 454.93mm (267.3-631.0) in females and 501.25mm (288.0-628.2) in males. The average tail length is 38.43mm (18.7-55.0) in females 47.36mm (26.2-63.0) in males; The mean tail index was found to be 8.45 ( 7 – 9.89) in females and 9.44 (8.69 -10.74) in males. In Karboğazı population, the survival rate was calculated as 0.77, the capture probability 0.23 and the population size was 244 individuals, while the values in the Göller Plateau population were 0.89, 0.42 and 75 individuals, respectively. The population density in the Karbogaz population is about 4 indiv./ha. On the Göller Plateau, it was calculated as approximately 2 individuals per hectare. It has been determined that the major food composition of Bolkar viper consists of Orthoptera, Chilopoda, and Squamata.During the raising awareness activities, a total of 42 shepherds/nomadic people were interviewed, and information was obtained from these people about their contacts with vipers and the level of these contacts. The Bolkar Viper was introduced to these people by handing out brochures promoting the Bolkar Viper and having one-on-one conversations with these people. As a result of interviews and field observations, it has been seen that the biggest risks for Bolkar Viper populations are habitat destruction, deliberate killing and partly bio-smuggling.

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