High incidence of shell injuries in an isolated population of the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) from Romania

Abstract

Testudo graeca is one of the two species of tortoises from Romania, the other one being Testudo hermanni. It is well known that this species has a broad but fragmented distribution range and this fact labels this species as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. The population of Testudo graeca ibera from the Natura 2000 site “Marine dunes from Agigea” is characterized by a high percentage of injuries (84%) from the total of 43 individuals found alive. A high percentage of individuals have injuries on all the plates from carapace and plastron. All lesions appear to be chronic, suggesting that there is a series of predisposing factors, such as: inadequate terrain (concrete, metal, broken glass and other hard objects), high-density dog population and coprophagia, which could be a sign of unbalanced nutrition. This is the first report of a population of Testudo graeca which has such a high percentage of individuals with shell damage.