Entrapped in Olive-Harvesting Nets: A Case of a Grass Snake Natrix natrix from an Olive-Growing Greek Aegean Island

Abstract

Despite a recent shift towards sustainable practices to support the conservation of traditional olive groves, little is known about their potential threats to herpetofauna species. On the island of Lesvos, one of the main olive-growing islands in the Mediterranean, olive cultivation often prioritizes the expeditious harvesting of olives with minimal or no supplementary intervention, resulting in their generally suboptimal management, a component of which also pertains to the olive nets that, in many cases, remain dispersed and unfurled throughout the groves. This particular practice affects the species living in the olive groves, making them more prone to risks related to their accidental trapping. In this study, we report the first case of a Grass snake being inadvertently trapped in an olive net laid out on an olive grove. The position of the snake under the net, within a folded tipping, made it difficult for it to escape, and it became increasingly entangled. Based on this incident, it is plausible to assume that similar cases may occur in areas where nets are used in olive groves, both in Greece and other olive-growing countries. Further systematic research is necessary to determine the extent of this issue.

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Reptile and Amphibian Road Fatalities in a Natura 2000 Area: A 12-Year Monitoring of the Lake Karla Mediterranean Wetland

“…Reptiles, with 82.35% representation, particularly snakes (seven species), and individual snake recordings (60.29%), were identified as more vulnerable to vehicular accidents compared to other categories, aligning with the higher richness of these species in the region. Among the reptiles, the grass snake stands out with the highest recorded mortality rate, reflecting its prevalence in the study area and its extensive ecological range, encompassing both aquatic and terrestrial environments [ 58 , 95 , 96 , 97 ]. In a similar context, the European glass lizard secures the top spot in the lizards category and ranks second in both the reptiles taxonomic group and total roadkills, particularly thriving in the adjusted foothills of Mounts Mavrovouni and Megavouni ( Figure 1 ).…”

Linking Thermal Indices, Productivity, Phenotypic Traits, and Stressors for Assessing the Health of Centennial Traditional Olive Trees

“…Subsequently, these dislodged olives are efficiently gathered using expansive olive harvesting nets [101]. This widely adopted approach is particularly well-suited for regions with challenging terrains, including hilly or mountainous areas [102]. We systematically collected and measured the freshly harvested olives per tree on-site, employing a field precision scale for accuracy.…”