2013, 2019 – Rufford Foundation Project area: Montenegrin coast
Freshwater habitats in the Mediterranean are among the most vulnerable in Europe, home to some of the continent’s most endangered species — including the Balkan terrapin (Mauremys rivulata) and the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis). The project “Research and Conservation of the Balkan Terrapin and European Pond Turtle and Their Habitats in Montenegro” was launched in response to the unsustainable land use practices occurring along the Montenegrin coast.
The studied freshwater habitats stretch from Herceg Novi to Ulcinj, from the entrance to the Bay of Kotor to the mouth of the Bojana River. These habitats form part of a lowland belt that runs from the sea to the foothills of Orjen, Lovćen, and Rumija mountains. These coastal plains represent a narrow lowland area, ranging from 2 to 10 kilometers in length and 2 to 5 kilometers in width.
The main plains include: the Sutorina Valley, Tivat Field, Grbalj Field, Mrčevo Field, Bar Field, and the Ulcinj – Vladimir Plain. These fields are intersected by permanent and seasonal watercourses. Apart from the Bojana River, the larger streams include: Sutorina with its tributaries Presjeka and Trtor, Zelenika, Spila, Morinj, Koložunj, Vodolježnica, Gradiošnica, Jaška River, Đurmanska River, Željeznica, Rikavac, Miđanska River, Rastiška, and Međurečka River.
The Montenegrin coast is characterized by high annual rainfall and unfavourable seasonal variation. Except for the Bojana River, all coastal rivers are short and fast-flowing, with major fluctuations in water levels (Novaković & Medenica, 2013). This watershed includes around 70 torrents and canals—short and steep streams that quickly lose speed as they exit their gorges and flow into flood-prone areas. Heavy rains often cause local flooding when water spills from these channels (Novaković & Medenica, 2013).
Over the last 50 years, many of these watercourses have been “regulated”—that is, concreted or cobbled—to reduce flood risks and reclaim land for residential and commercial development. As a result, many rivers are now biologically dead, and the rich aquatic life once associated with them has disappeared. A typical example is Budva, whose urban core used to be a wetland crisscrossed by streams that have all been canalised over the past decades.
The Balkan terrapin (Mauremys rivulata) and the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) inhabit these freshwater ecosystems and are directly affected by such habitat alterations. Monitoring the populations of these species provides valuable data on the extent to which these habitats have been degraded—or preserved. This also lays the groundwork for long-term tracking of changes occurring in the freshwater ecosystems of the Montenegrin coast.
Research Goals
- Identify all key threats to freshwater habitats along the Montenegrin coast;
- Determine the size, dynamics, and structure of the Balkan terrapin and pond turtle populations;
- Define measures for the improvement, protection, and sustainable management of freshwater habitats.
The project ran from 2013 to 2019 and was supported by the Rufford Foundation.
