Over the past few years the actions of Archipelagos relating to the herpetological fauna of the Aegean have involved general survey’s to monitor and understand populations on each island. This includes identifying species composition and general population size and habitat surveys.
Archipelagos’ herpetological research, aims to generate much larger population surveys, to survey more habitats focusing primarily on the islands of Ikaria and Samos, as well as in the region of the northern Dodecanese. An important part of our role here is to publicise the problems facing reptiles and amphibians such as habitat loss and trafficking of protected species. Policing of the ports and any transport off the island only does so much. The public of the islands need to be aware of the problems facing these species and know what is happening and convince them that they want to protect their species.
Because of the sheer amount of herbicides used in several islands such as Samos studies are presently being continued on how these chemicals are affecting the amphibian and reptile populations. Amphibians are key within this study as they are affected more than most other groups by herbicides. Sixty to seventy percent of adult anurans have been lost in lab tests using certain herbicides. Using non destructive methods anurans will be used in a study to measure the extent of damage on amphibians in areas of the Aegean that use high proportions of herbicides.
A key part of herpetological work focuses on the Mediterranean Common Chameleon, Chamaeleo chamaeleon. The research of its populations and the collaboration with the local communities, aims to lead to the generation of an efficient and realistic action plan that will lead to its conservation and protection, enabling it to increase its numbers across Samos. Using the work on Chamaeleo chamaeleon as a template other species such as Testudo graeae (the spur thighed tortoise) could be protected by similar action plans.
The key goal of Archipelagos is to raise awareness among the local communities for the importance for their wildlife, encouraging them to take the protective rights of these species seriously and protect them from direct and indirect threats on them and their habitat. Pilot work implemented on the islands of Samos and Ikaria, will be extended to assess the diverse herpetological fauna of other Aegean Islands as a whole to insure conservation of these species too.