The Herpetological Journal
The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.
ISSN 0268-0130
2021 Impact Factor from Clarivate for the Herpetological Journal is 1.194, an increase of 0.332 from 2020.
pdf 09. Short term monitoring reveals the rapid decline of southern Madagascar's Critically Endangered tortoise species
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pp. 193-196
Authors: Walker, Ryan; Rafeliarisoa, Tsilavo; Currylow, Andrea; Rakotoniaina, Jean Claude & Louis Jr., Edward
Abstract: Southern Madagascar supports two of the world's most threatened chelonians, Pyxis arachnoides and Astrochelys radiata, both thought to be rapidly declining as a result of habitat loss and poaching; however, to date quantitative data on this decline is lacking. We applied a conventional distance sampling procedure, monitoring populations twice over a 24-month period across the species' respective distributions. Population density for P. arachnoides dropped from 2.4 tortoises/ha (95% CI; 1.6–3.4) to 1.5/ha (95% CI; 0.8–2.8). Astrochelys radiata dropped from 2.1 tortoises/ha (95% CI 1.2–3.5) to 1.5/h. (95% CI 0.7–3.3). Local community-based conservation initiatives need to be expanded to combat this decline.
Keywords: ASTROCHELYS RADIATA, CONSERVATION, DISTANCE SAMPLING, PYXIS ARACHNOIDES
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Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.
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