Funding
EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria)
Date
–
Partners
Turda Zoo
Plzeňská ZOO
Danube Delta Museum
Macin National Park
National Institute for Research in the Danube Delta
Contact
Andreas Kranz
Target species
Marbled polecat (Vormella peregusna)
Target area
Dobrogea (Romania)
Countries
Romania
Project objectives
The Marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna) is considered an endangered and rare species in Europe. Unfortunately, there is little information about the current state of the Marbled polecat population. It has been relatively neglected species to scientists and conservationists and all information about the species and its distribution throughout Europe is decades old. Current information comes only from random observations or unverified sources.
Therefore, the aim of this project was to conduct a basic survey in one of the known areas of the occurrence - the Dobrogea mountain range in southern Romania.
Dobrogea is located between the Danube and the Black Sea coast. It is one of the few areas in Europe where there are records of the occurrence of this polecat from the 20th century. The area of Dobrogea can, by its nature and size, provide a suitable environment for a stable population of this species. Since 2000, local scientists and nature conservation authorities have only had two confirmed records of it however, one individual dead on the road and a chance photo from an ornithologist.
Three expeditions to the Dobrogea mountain range took place in this project. During these expeditions, data on the occurrence of species and state of the environment were collected. The following monitoring methods were used:
- Monitoring by tunnels
- Observations
- Collecting individuals killed on the road
- Interviewing shepherds and farmers
