An initiative for preservation and research of Land Tortoises in Bulgaria

Two species of tortoises are naturally presented in the territory of Bulgaria – Testudo graeca (Spurthighed tortoise) and Testudo hermanni (Spurtailed tortoise)(Pic1). Both are endangered species, included in the Red List of (IUCN-2003). –Testudo graeca is in Vulnerable category and Testudo hermanni in Low risk category. The species are also included in the Bern Convention, ratified from Bulgaria on 25.01.1991 and came into force from 01.05.1991, Instruction 92/43 of EU from 21.05.1992 and CITES, ratified by the Bulgarian parliament in 1990, valid from April the 16 1991. Both species are not included in the Bulgarian Red book from 1985. In project is their submission of the new edition of the National Red book. The tortoises are protected by the Bulgarian legislation by the Nature Protection Act and included in appendix II and III of The National Biological Diversity Conservation Strategy (valid from 09.08.2002).