Biodiversity and Conservation 10: 1131-1140, 2001.

Home range area in the tortoise Testudo hermanni in relation to habitat complexity: implications for conservation of biodiversity

S. LONGEPIERRE1, A. HAILEY1,2 and C. GRENOT1*

1 Ecole Normale Superieure, Laboratoire d'Ecologie, CNRS-UMR 7625, 46 rue d'Ulm, F-75005 Paris, France;
2 Present address: 52 Mascotts Close, London NW2 6NS, UK; *Author for correspondence

Received 28 March 2000; accepted in revised form 15 August 2000

Abstract. The tortoise Testudo hermanni is endangered by habitat fragmentation and loss in western Europe, where its high public profile and specific conservation projects make this a flagship species. Studies of movement in the peak reproductive season (June) showed that home ranges were substantially larger in France than in Greece. This difference was due to the intensity of use of the home range, not to the distance moved which was remarkably similar in the two areas. There was no sexual difference in home range area. The home range was therefore not large in France because of movement to nesting sites, but rather for utilization of the greater habitat complexity there. The need for reserves to include different vegetation types makes conservation of T. hermanni in France more difficult. Conversely, the need for large reserves increases its value as an umbrella species for conservation of biodiversity.

Key words: flagship species. fragmentation, France, habitat complexity, home range, movement, Testudo hermanni, tortoise, umbrella species