Reptiles Archives - Holarctic bridge

Linear infrastructure, Kazakhstan — Little Central Asian tortoises – *Agrionemys (Testudo) horsfieldii*, classified as globally Vulnerable by IUCN

It is well known that the development of linear infrastructure has many adverse impacts on animals. For the first time, we found the problem of mass death of reptiles and other vertebrates in permanent deep trenches used for fencing agricultural land in the southeast of the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan in 2019, when 365 reptiles were found during a double survey of a trench about 10 km long in May and June of 2019. Five species are doomed to death from hunger and dehydration in the absence of human help in these deep trenches of artificial origin.

Deep tranches cause the death of many animal species in the arid areas of Kazakstan.

A preliminary analysis of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KZ) showed that the use of permanent trenches for fencing agricultural land, leading to the mass death of animals and damage to land, is a violation of the Environmental Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Protection, Reproduction and Use of Wildlife”, as well as the Land Code of Kazakhstan. Repeated publications in the media and appeals on this matter to various state authorized bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2019-2020, unfortunately, did not bring the desired result and did not become a reason for taking real measures, although we raised the problem and contacted with several mass-media, which highlighted the problem of impact on wildlife from new trenches.

Due to the limitations associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, new data were obtained only in May 2021 during an international zoological expedition organized by the Kazakhstan Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity (ACBK) as part of a project for the study and protection of gazelles supported by the SOS program (IUCN Save Our Species). The expedition was attended by specialists-zoologists from Kazakhstan, Russia, and Germany. As a result of a thorough survey, carried out on May 19-21, 2021, on a section of a trench arbitrarily selected from space images, which encloses the land of a farm at the junction of the borders of the Saryagash and Keles districts of the Turkestan region with a length of about 7 km (the total length of this trench is 36 km), we found 272 individuals of reptiles, including about 180 Central Asian tortoises – Testudo horsfieldi, 30 Sheltopusiks or Pallas’s Glass Lizards Pseudopus apodus, 40 Steppe Runners Eremias arguta (Near-threatened -NT- globally), 15 Dwarf Sand Boas Eryx tataricus and 1 Spotted Whip Snake Hemorrhois ravergieri. At the time of the survey, 20 reptiles had already died, and the remains of 7 foxes, 3 domestic sheep, and 1 foal were also found, which also fell into the trench and could not get out of it. All living reptiles were removed from the trench and released by us in suitable habitats at a distance of at least 5 km from the nearest trenches.

According to our updated estimates obtained using GIS, the total length of such trenches in the southeastern part of the Turkestan region (south of the city of Chimkent) is more than 500 km, thus, the number of reptiles that die in trenches annually can reach tens of thousands of individuals.

Linear infrastructure — Reptiles – lizards and snakes – are most threatened as a result of trenches establishment.

Thanks to the organizational support of the akimat (regional administration) of the Turkestan region, the problem of illegal use of trenches for fencing agricultural land this time caused a wide public response: a film crew from the regional television arrived at our place of work in the trench, accompanied by 15 volunteers to help save animals, and also employees of the District Land Committee. Later we met with a representative of the territorial inspection for the protection of wildlife. After our meeting with representatives of the Land Committee, they promptly began to issue demands for the elimination of trenches to tenants of land plots, who had taken the land in the lease for agriculture production. If they will not implement the rehabilitation measures destroying trenches, sanctions are possible up to the termination of land lease agreements. As a result, already in June 2021, the process of liquidating tranches began, which was confirmed by our personal observations and was highlighted in the media.

Thus, in 2021, as a result of the successful interaction of biologists, the leadership of the regional akimat (regional administration), state authorized responsible bodies, and the media, the real actions were started to eliminate the problem of illegal use of permanent trenches for fencing agricultural land in the south of the Turkestan region. It is obvious that for a comprehensive solution to the problem of mass death of animals in trenches, it is necessary to continue monitoring the situation in the Turkestan region and in other regions of Kazakhstan, to widely introduce the practice of rescuing animals from trenches before their elimination and, possibly, to amend the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, including a direct ban on the use of permanent trenches for fencing agricultural land.

Local television taking an interview to highlight the problem of trenches impact on vertebrate animals.

According to unconfirmed data, such illegal use of trenches for fencing farmland is practiced not only in the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan but also abroad. Therefore, zoologists collect any reliable information on this issue.

Dr. Mark Pestov just recently came back home after the expedition to the Turkestan Region of Kazakhstan. Mark is a zoologist – herpetologist. He studies the life of cool-blooded animals – amphibians and reptiles. Several last years Mark is involved in studies and conservation of animals in Kazakhstan deserts. This is a story from Mark about new threats for wild animals that recently appeared in the deserts of Kazakhstan and the ways to solve them. All illustrations used in this review were provided and taken mostly by Mark Pestov. His contact details are vipera@dront.ru

The mating behavior of snakes is not so easy to see. The mating displays usually occur immediately after the snakes leave their hibernacula (this term is used for winter shelters, where snakes brumate of sleeping, similarly to hibernation of other animals such as mammals) places, where they sometimes congregate in large clusters. But getting to such a hibernacula without a special purpose and without knowing the peculiarities of the ecology of snakes is almost impossible.

In spring, garter snake likes to bask in the morning near forest path

But then one day at the end of April, on a forest path, the rustling of foliage attracted my attention. I did not immediately understand where the rustle came from, but looking around I spotted an extraordinary sight. On the dry foliage of last year, covering the first shoots of the breaking green growth, an unusual ball rolled, from which for a moment heads or tails appeared on the surface … Yellow stripes on the body made it possible to immediately identify the species – it was a mating procession of a Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis). One larger snake was distinctive from another dozen and half snakes of smaller size that are literally hovered around it. Squirming, first merging into one large ball, then stretching in a chain, the snakes continued their movement along the invisible pass in the dry foliage. But as soon as I took a step towards this extraordinary procession, the ball instantly became alert, assessing the situation, and began to disintegrate. Individual snakes crawled on the sides, looking for cover under the foliage, in the cracks between the hard rocks and between the roots of trees. Nevertheless, about a dozen of the most persistent continued to follow the largest snake. The presence of a small rock in the forest indicated that the snake hibernacula was somewhere nearby: snakes usually hibernate in cavities under rocks or in natural depressions formed under the roots of dead trees, where they can gather from several tens to several hundred or even thousands of individuals.

The common garter snake is widespread in Ontario. In the forests around Ottawa, it is the most common snake species. The slender body of garter snakes with a light stripe running along the keel from head to tail, with yellow or reddish longitudinal stripes on the sides and an elegant narrow head that smoothly merges into the body, allow anyone to immediately unmistakably identifies this species. The average length of a snake with a tail is 50-70 cm. Sometimes there are specimens that are larger – up to a meter in length, but they rarely can be found. Females are much larger than males. Only one female, accompanied by more than a dozen males, led the mating procession that I observed. This feature of the biology of the species directed to the fact that there are much more males in the population than females. Garter snakes are also remarkable by the reproduction features: they can both lay eggs, from which small snakes then hatch, and give birth to alive little snakes. Usually, individuals living in the north latitudes give birth to live offspring, and more southerly occurring counterparts lay eggs. In Ontario, garter snakes give birth to live young. During the season, the female can give birth from ten to forty offspring. But only a few individuals survive to adulthood since snakes are a desiring prey for both four-legged and feathered predators. In addition, a significant number of snakes are killed on the roads, under the wheels of cars in populated areas with a dense road network. In Ontario, there are two subspecies that are externally different: in the south, the nominative subspecies of Eastern Garter snake has the bright yellow stripes on the sides of the body, and in the northern subspecies, the red-sided garter snake has reddish-orange stripes.

Two subspecies of garter snake may be found in Ontario: Eastern Garter Snake (T.s. sirtalis) in center, and Red-sided (T.s. parietalis) – left and right photos.

Garter snakes are found in a wide variety of habitats, both in forests and in meadow communities as well as around wetlands. In the Ottawa Greenbelt and around, it is definitely a forest species, inhabiting light deciduous and mixed forests. The main food items for snakes are amphibians and earthworms, but on occasion these snakes can catch small rodents and passerines, as well as small fish. Hunting strategy includes two types of behavior. Sometimes, garter snakes wait for prey, attacking approaching animals. But more often they actively pursue their prey, effectively catching fast tadpoles and small fish.

Garter snakes are harmless to humans. But this does not mean that anyone can catch them. It must be understood that the capture of any living creature is a huge stress for the latter. Therefore, if you notice a garter snake near the forest path, walk by, or watch the snake from the side without trying to catch it.

Garter snakes often hide in construction near human settlements, especially near forest cabins

If you wish, you can also join one of the programs of Ontario Nature such as Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas or Youth Circle for Mother Earth, and contribute to wildlife monitoring and conservation.

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Category: Reptiles

Finding a way out of a deadly trap

The Garter Snake on the forest path…