Photos 3/8/2016 by George Konstantinou
Tuesday, 9 August 2016
Ανδρέας Χατζηδαυίδ - Απίστευτη συλλογή Κυπριακών πετρωμάτων - Amazing collection of Cypriot rock
Photos 3/8/2016 by George Konstantinou
Monday, 8 August 2016
6th WORLD CONGRESS ON MOUNTAIN UNGULATES and 5th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MOUFLON - FOX PREDATION ON CYPRUS MOUFLON AND MARINE TURTLES ON CYPRUS
Organized by the Ministry of Interior with the cooperation of Frederick University and the Caprinae Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission of IUCN
AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2016, Nicosia, Cyprus
http://www.mountainungulates.gov.cy/moa/symposium/symposium.nsf/index_en/index_en?opendocument
FOX PREDATION ON CYPRIAN MOUFLON AND MARINE TURTLES ON
CYPRUS
Constantinou G 1 and Hadjisterkotis Ε 2
1Association of Protection of Natural Ηeritage and Biodiversity of Cyprus, 2Ministry of the Interior, Nicosia, 1453,
Cyprus Mouflon. The only wild predator on the island of Cyprus is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). The predatory effect of red fox on Cyprus mouflon, particularly at lambing sites when the lambs were small and vulnerable to predation, were studied by Hadjisterkotis (1993, 1996). In 140 days of observations at two lambing grounds (areas with sharp cliffs) red fox made five attempts to capture lambs. All attempts failed because the ewes protected their lambs by moving them to steeper parts of the cliffs, and defending the lambs by standing between the lambs and the fox, defending the lamb. Four other cases were reported by foresters who observed foxes entering lambing grounds but in all cases the foxes failed to capture lambs. There are no direct observations of foxes killing adult mouflon, although there are observations of foxes following mouflon from safe distance, as well as a report of a ram fatally injuring a fox. Foxes are the major scavenger of dead mouflon. More direct killings were reported by stray dogs than foxes (Hadjisterkotis and Bider 1992; Toumazos and Hadjisterkotis 1997; Hadjisterkotis 2002). A mouflon carcass can provide a fox with food for several days. Hadjisterkotis also reported two cases where foxes were observed killing juvenile mouflon away from cliffs. Turtles. Observations by C.G. on marine turtles during the nesting season at Lara Beach in Pafos district, revealed that a considerable number of nests were depredated by foxes. During the night, foxes were able to dig underneath the wire baskets which were placed over the nest by the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research or volunteers to protect the nest from predators, and to dig out the eggs. We recommend a new design of basket which can be inserted partly in the sand, to prevent foxes from digging under the baskets.
References
Hadjisterkotis E (1993) The Cyprus mouflon Ovis gmelini ophion Management, conservation and evolution. Ph.D. thesis, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 1993: 385 pp
Hadjisterkotis E (1996) Fox and avian predation on Cyprus mouflon Ovis gmelini ophion. Abstracts of the 2nd International Symposium on Mediterranean mouflon. 17-20 April 1996, page 33.
Hadjisterkotis E, Bider RJ (1992) Dog predation on Cyprus mouflon. Caprinae News 6:17-20.
Hadjisterkotis E (2002) Seasonal and monthly distribution of deaths of Cyprus mouflon Ovis gmelini ophion. Pirineos, 157: 81 a 88, JACA; 2002:81-88.
Toumazos P, Hadjisterkotis E (1997) Diseases of the Cyprus mouflon as determined by standard gross and histopathological methods. Pages 150-161 in E. Hadjisterkotis (ed.). Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Mediterranean Mouflon. Game Fund, Nicosia, Cyprus.
A ten minute documentary (in wild) about endemic Cyprus Mouflon by George Konstantinou
AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2016, Nicosia, Cyprus
http://www.mountainungulates.gov.cy/moa/symposium/symposium.nsf/index_en/index_en?opendocument
FW: first and second edition of the book of Abstracts
Constantinou G 1 and Hadjisterkotis Ε 2
1Association of Protection of Natural Ηeritage and Biodiversity of Cyprus, 2Ministry of the Interior, Nicosia, 1453,
Cyprus Mouflon. The only wild predator on the island of Cyprus is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). The predatory effect of red fox on Cyprus mouflon, particularly at lambing sites when the lambs were small and vulnerable to predation, were studied by Hadjisterkotis (1993, 1996). In 140 days of observations at two lambing grounds (areas with sharp cliffs) red fox made five attempts to capture lambs. All attempts failed because the ewes protected their lambs by moving them to steeper parts of the cliffs, and defending the lambs by standing between the lambs and the fox, defending the lamb. Four other cases were reported by foresters who observed foxes entering lambing grounds but in all cases the foxes failed to capture lambs. There are no direct observations of foxes killing adult mouflon, although there are observations of foxes following mouflon from safe distance, as well as a report of a ram fatally injuring a fox. Foxes are the major scavenger of dead mouflon. More direct killings were reported by stray dogs than foxes (Hadjisterkotis and Bider 1992; Toumazos and Hadjisterkotis 1997; Hadjisterkotis 2002). A mouflon carcass can provide a fox with food for several days. Hadjisterkotis also reported two cases where foxes were observed killing juvenile mouflon away from cliffs. Turtles. Observations by C.G. on marine turtles during the nesting season at Lara Beach in Pafos district, revealed that a considerable number of nests were depredated by foxes. During the night, foxes were able to dig underneath the wire baskets which were placed over the nest by the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research or volunteers to protect the nest from predators, and to dig out the eggs. We recommend a new design of basket which can be inserted partly in the sand, to prevent foxes from digging under the baskets.
References
Hadjisterkotis E (1993) The Cyprus mouflon Ovis gmelini ophion Management, conservation and evolution. Ph.D. thesis, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 1993: 385 pp
Hadjisterkotis E (1996) Fox and avian predation on Cyprus mouflon Ovis gmelini ophion. Abstracts of the 2nd International Symposium on Mediterranean mouflon. 17-20 April 1996, page 33.
Hadjisterkotis E, Bider RJ (1992) Dog predation on Cyprus mouflon. Caprinae News 6:17-20.
Hadjisterkotis E (2002) Seasonal and monthly distribution of deaths of Cyprus mouflon Ovis gmelini ophion. Pirineos, 157: 81 a 88, JACA; 2002:81-88.
Toumazos P, Hadjisterkotis E (1997) Diseases of the Cyprus mouflon as determined by standard gross and histopathological methods. Pages 150-161 in E. Hadjisterkotis (ed.). Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Mediterranean Mouflon. Game Fund, Nicosia, Cyprus.
A ten minute documentary (in wild) about endemic Cyprus Mouflon by George Konstantinou
for the 6th WORLD CONGRESS ON MOUNTAIN UNGULATES and 5th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MOUFLON
Hyaline Scallop - Flexopecten hyalinus (Poli, 1795) - Cyprus
Family Pectinidae
Flexopecten hyalinus, the Hyaline Scallop, is a species of saltwater clams, a scallop, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Pectinidae, the scallops.
The shell of an adult Flexopecten hyalinus can be as large as 20–30 millimetres (0.79–1.18 in). This shell is delicate, with a brown or pale brown surface, almost translucent and has quite flat ribs.
This species can be found in the Mediterranean Sea, from Italy and Croatia to Greece, under rocks or dead leaves of algue, usually at depths of about 10 m.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Protaras-25mts deep 7/8/2016 Photos by Costas Constantinou
Flexopecten hyalinus, the Hyaline Scallop, is a species of saltwater clams, a scallop, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Pectinidae, the scallops.The shell of an adult Flexopecten hyalinus can be as large as 20–30 millimetres (0.79–1.18 in). This shell is delicate, with a brown or pale brown surface, almost translucent and has quite flat ribs.
This species can be found in the Mediterranean Sea, from Italy and Croatia to Greece, under rocks or dead leaves of algue, usually at depths of about 10 m.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Protaras-25mts deep 7/8/2016 Photos by Costas Constantinou
Mediterranean feather star - Antedon mediterranea (Lamarck, 1816) - Cyprus
Antedon mediterranea is a species of stalkless crinoid in the family Antedonidae, commonly known as the Mediterranean feather star. It is found on the seabed at moderate depths in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a filter feeder and captures plankton with its long feathery arms.
Antedon mediterranea has a vestigial stalk, the base of which bears up to forty grasping cirri, articulated prehensile structures with which it can cling to a hard surface. Above this is the calyx, a small, cup-shaped structure, which is surrounded by five pairs of arms which bear feathery pinnules. The arms can be rolled up if danger threatens, but when they are extended to feed, they are about 10 cm (4 in) long. They are fragile but if one gets broken off, the animal can regenerate it. The colour of this crinoid is quite variable and ranges from white, yellow, orange or red to brown and dark purple, sometimes with bands of contrasting colourAntedon mediterranea is found in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and westward to the south coast of Spain and Cape St. Vincent. It is found at depths down to about 80 metres (260 ft) and favours areas with strong currents which bring plenty of food within reach. It is found on rocky or sandy seabeds rich in algae including encrusting algae, or among sea grasses (Posidonia oceanica). It hides during the day in concealed locations emerging at night into more exposed areas. It is gregarious and is often found clinging to sea whips, bryozoans, algae or sea grasses
Antedon mediterranea feeds by filtering out plankton and other small particles from the passing sea water. The food is then wrapped in mucus and passed by the tube feet down the ambulacral grooves on the arms to the central mouth which is on the upper side of the calyx. Antedon mediterranea can move around to a limited extent by creeping on its cirri, by "swimming", alternately raising and lowering its ten arms five at a time, or by "walking" along the seabed by propping itself up on its arm tips and heaving itself along.
The sexes are separate in Antedon mediterranea and the gonads are located in the pinnules of the lower part of the arms. Spawning takes place annually, mainly in the spring and is believed to be triggered by the production of testosterone in the male and 17β-estradiol in the female. Fertilisation takes place in the water and the embryos are cemented to the pinnules. They hatch into free-swimming, barrel-shaped doliolaria larvae which can move around using synchronized movements of their bands of cilia. The production of serotonin stimulates them to settle on the seabed, anchor themselves by temporary stalks, and undergo metamorphosis into juveniles
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Protaras-25mts deep 7/8/2016 Photos by Costas Constantinou
Sunday, 7 August 2016
EcoNature Productions - To be or not to be a poacher - Documentary by Ran Levy-Yamamori
Poaching is a huge problem throughtout the Mediterranean. Often it is linked with "culture", "tradition" or with "sports".
Here is a true life story of Savvas Iezekiel, who like other children in his village in Cyprus, grew up in that environment. He became a hunter when he was 5-6 years old, BUT, when he studied ecology, he realized the the conflict: loving nature and at the same time destroying nature. He took a decision and changed. He is today a senior forested, involved in saving nature and is in love with Griffon Vultures. He is risking his life in forst fires, climbing cliffs and trees to save nature. A real ECONATURE PRODUCTION'S HERO!
Poaching, wildlife poisoning, lack of mangement and especially lack of environmental education still pause sever threaths to the Cypriot nature. Cyprus, and the world, need more and more of people like Savvas.
I would like to thank two people who kindly helped: George Konstantinou
Saturday, 6 August 2016
Pointed-snout wrasse - Symphodus rostratus (Bloch, 1791) - Cyprus
The pointed-snout wrasse, Symphodus rostratus, is a species of wrasse native to coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea to the western part of the Black Sea. This species lives near rocks usually in eelgrass beds at depths from 1 to 50 m (3.3 to 164.0 ft). It can reach 13 cm (5.1 in) in standard length. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade. It is occasionally taken in artisanal fisheries.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Underwater photos at Akrotiri by Kostas Aristeidou
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