ASESSMENT OF THE THREAT OF REPTILES OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA BASED ON CHARACTERISTICS OF DISTRIBUTION, ECOLOGY AND LIFE HISTORY

Abstract

The assessment of extinction risk status according to official categories was never performed on reptiles of the Republic of Srpska. Due to the lack of population studies and scarcity of data on distribution of reptile species within the territory of Republic of Srpska, it is not possible to determine the extinction risk according to quantitative criteria proposed by IUCN. Therefore, the main goal of this paper was to assess the conservation status for 28 reptile species that are definitively present within the area of Republic of Srpska, using the parameters of distribution, ecology and life histories. The results of the analysis showed that 15 reptile species in Republic of Srpska should be categorized as threatened species, including five species (Dinarolacerta mosorensis, Zootoca vivipara, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Vipera berus and Vipera ursinii), with the status of “Critically endangered”, seven species (Pseudopus apodus, Algyroides nigro punctatus, Dalmatolacerta oxycephala, Lacerta trilineata, Elaphe quatuo rlineata, Zamenis situla and Platyceps najadum) with the status of “Endangered” and three species (Testudo hermanni, Lacerta agilis and Telescopus fallax) deserve the status of “Vulnerable”. On the other hand, eight species should be categorized as “Least Concern” and five species as “Near Threatened”. The greatest impact on “Critically Endangered” and “Endangered” species is shown by factors related to ecology.