Part of the programme to save this indigenous land tortoise which is listed as in danger of extinction
The Environment Department released 300 Mediterranean Tortoises in the Sierra d’Irta
This latest release brings the total number of Mediterranean Tortoises set loose in the Natural Park to 800. This species had been extinct in the Valencian Community for some decades.
![[Img #8755]](upload/img/periodico/img_8755.jpg)
The Territory and Environment Autonomous Secretary, Arancha Muñoz, took part in the release of 300 Mediterranean Tortoises in the Sierra d’Irta Natural Park, as part of the programme for the restoration of this species of tortoise, which is on the list of species in danger of extinction.
She stated that “This is the largest number of this species released by the Environment Department up to now. Of the 300 tortoises set free, 250 have come from Majorca, which has given them to the Generalitat, and 50 were bred in captivity in the El Saler Centre for the Restoration of Fauna”.
Muñoz explained that in 2005 “the Project began for the conservation of the Mediterranean tortoise in the Sierra d’Irtan, and to date more than 800, nearly all adults and young adults, have been set free and are reproducing in the natural environment”.
A study of 24 of them who are fitted with transmitters has been carried out, and with the information obtained it has been possible to conclude that the habitat where the tortoises have been liberated provides them with adequate resourses for the establishment and survival of the species.
“The project aims to achieve a stable population of the Tortoises in the Irta when the colony reaches 500 approximately, which should not be far off taking into account that natural reproduction has already been taking place for some years now”, she stated.
In recent years, transmitters have been fitted so that they can be followed in the mountains. She continued: “In this way we can locate the marked tortoises each week and take biometric and weight measurements to prove how they are adapting to the environment. Although the results are not yet finalised, they indicate that the tortoises set free so far are acclimatising correctly as very few have passed away in this time”.
This endangered species – the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo Hermanni) – is a herbivore of medium size found exclusively on the European continent and with very scarce populations. In western Europe they can be found in limited numbers in Italy, France and Spain.
For some decades, the situation in Spain has been critical with the only known natural population in the foothills of the Catalonian Pyrenees. Currently the situation is more satisfactory thanks to the intervention of some Autonomous Administrations which have created new colonies in Catalunya, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community, where it had been extinct and, thanks to this programme of reintroduction, has been saved from disappearing altogether.
As well as the programme to reintroduce and control the Mediterranean Tortoise, the Environment Department is working with other indigenous turtle species, such as the European pond turtle and the terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
The Territory and Environment Autonomous Secretary, Arancha Muñoz, took part in the release of 300 Mediterranean Tortoises in the Sierra d’Irta Natural Park, as part of the programme for the restoration of this species of tortoise, which is on the list of species in danger of extinction.
She stated that “This is the largest number of this species released by the Environment Department up to now. Of the 300 tortoises set free, 250 have come from Majorca, which has given them to the Generalitat, and 50 were bred in captivity in the El Saler Centre for the Restoration of Fauna”.
Muñoz explained that in 2005 “the Project began for the conservation of the Mediterranean tortoise in the Sierra d’Irtan, and to date more than 800, nearly all adults and young adults, have been set free and are reproducing in the natural environment”.
A study of 24 of them who are fitted with transmitters has been carried out, and with the information obtained it has been possible to conclude that the habitat where the tortoises have been liberated provides them with adequate resourses for the establishment and survival of the species.
“The project aims to achieve a stable population of the Tortoises in the Irta when the colony reaches 500 approximately, which should not be far off taking into account that natural reproduction has already been taking place for some years now”, she stated.
In recent years, transmitters have been fitted so that they can be followed in the mountains. She continued: “In this way we can locate the marked tortoises each week and take biometric and weight measurements to prove how they are adapting to the environment. Although the results are not yet finalised, they indicate that the tortoises set free so far are acclimatising correctly as very few have passed away in this time”.
This endangered species – the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo Hermanni) – is a herbivore of medium size found exclusively on the European continent and with very scarce populations. In western Europe they can be found in limited numbers in Italy, France and Spain.
For some decades, the situation in Spain has been critical with the only known natural population in the foothills of the Catalonian Pyrenees. Currently the situation is more satisfactory thanks to the intervention of some Autonomous Administrations which have created new colonies in Catalunya, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community, where it had been extinct and, thanks to this programme of reintroduction, has been saved from disappearing altogether.
As well as the programme to reintroduce and control the Mediterranean Tortoise, the Environment Department is working with other indigenous turtle species, such as the European pond turtle and the terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
