Case Study
Promoting Biodiversity – Arrangements and Monitoring of Snake Populations – Analysis and Put in Perspective with Site Attendance
Contact name
Anne Huger
Institution name
Arche de la Nature - Le Mans Métropole
Region & country
Pays de la Loire (France)
Summary
The Ark of Nature is composed almost entirely of plains or wood. The park nevertheless included some brush areas where biodiversity was more important. We have the willingness to study and promote these rich areas and for this reason, we set a partnership to enhance snakes.
Snake
@Arche de la Nature
Breeding area
@Arche de la Nature
Brushes - habitat of snakes
@Arche de la Nature
Background of the project
- No data on the presence of snakes in the Arche de la Nature park created in 1997.
- There was an interest to know better the fauna of the park and in particular the fauna a priori sensitive to a mass frequentation (> 500 000 visitors/year – 500 ha)
- There was a willingness to participate in the protection of declining species, especially in urban areas
Solution and actions taken
- Counting and monitoring of populations
- Improvements favouring the maintenance of populations and their reproduction
- Pedagogy to make these animals known and respected
- Establishment of counting campaigns (with plates about 100 over more than 3 km), marking and monitoring of populations and movements
- Development of more areas of life (brush, brambles) and a breeding area
- Implementation place of animations and stages for the public
- Interventions in zoos
- Training for firefighters, the ONCFS Office national de la chasse et de la faune sauvage, the NFB, the federation of hunters, etc.
Other institutions or parties involved
- CNRS for scientific monitoring
- Zoos for pedagogy
- Trainees every year
- Media
Results
- A retrospect view allows us to say that, by means of reflexive developments (and ecological continuity), species sensitive to the presence of man can completely cohabit, reproduce, migrate
- An action with a scientific component gives a hook to address reluctant public
- For protected and declining species not beloved by the public, pedagogy is essential to change attitudes
- The use of a peri-urban site very popular and appreciated by the public to prove that fears are unfounded works rather well
Challenges
- Acceptability of all staff and of some audiences (destruction of plaques)
- Some acts of poaching
Lessons learned
- It takes time to be able to reason and to prove the effect of adjustments and also to develop pedagogy and convey a message.
- The mediatization has its limits but is part of the pedagogical scope
- The effect of the arrangements was quite fast, the cost low = efficient action
Contact name
Anne Huger
Institution name
Arche de la Nature - Le Mans Métropole
Website(s)
