Slađana Gvozdenović

Vuk Iković

Gvozdenović, Slađana

Iković, Vuk

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Hyla VOL. 2014., No. 1, Str. 30 -32 ISSN: 1848-2007 Photo note Gvozdenović & Iković 2014   The Capture of a spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilius Linnaeus, 1758 (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae) in Montenegro Pronalazak kajmana naočara Caiman crocodilius Linnaeus, 1758 (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae) u Crnoj Gori  SLAĐANA GVOZDENOVIĆ, VUK IKOVIĆ ¹Montenegrin Ecologist Society, Bulevar Sv. Petra Cetinjskog 73, Podgorica, Crna Gora sladjana87gvozdenovic@yahoo.com; vukikovic@gmail.com The illegal trade in protected plant and animal species has become one of the most lucrative criminal activities. Cases of smuggling reptile species are frequent (Engler & Parry-Jones 2007; Ljubisavljević et al. 2011; Pernetta 2009; Schlaepfer et al. 2005). A specimen of Spectacled caiman, Caiman crocodilus was found in the coastal town of Budva (Montenegro) on 12.07.2014. (Fig. 1). The specimen with a total body length of 82 cm, with tail, was found in a stream in the settlement of Bečići (42° 17' 04" N, 18° 51' 49" E). With regard to this total body length this individual falls within the category of subadult (Carlos & Diefenbach 1975). The natural habitat of this caiman is freshwaters of South & Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean (Jackson 2007, Kalezić & Tomović 2007).  This species feeds on fish, birds and amphibians. It belongs to the group of small alligators, up to 2.5m long, with a life expectancy of up to 40 years (Jackson 2007). On the IUCN red list this species is categorized as LR/LC, and on CITES is listed in Apendix II.  This species is commonly caught and smuggled because of its skin which is used in the manufacture of clothing and footwear (Krkalić et al. 2011). Finding a caiman in this small stream is probably the result of a release by a negligent owner, or an escape from captivity. During summer months different exotic animals have been found on the coast of Montenegro, so discovery of this caiman in the wild is not such a surprise. These results were not shared in public or published except that they've been commented by the local and regional media.(These results were not officially published but comments have found their way into the local and regional media). The caiman was caught by people working in “Protection and rescue service” in the municipality of Budva, and was transferred to pools belonging to a private mini zoo in the village of Krapina near Budva. The ecological inspectorate noted that this collection meets all the requirements prescribed by the “Regulation of detailed conditions which must be met by a legal or ordinary person for keeping temporarily seized wild species of plants, animals and fungi “(Offical Gazette of Montenegro, No. 46/10).     This species can, with the proper licences, be imported into Montenegro, so maybe we could expect its presence in this area in the future. It is a common occurence for this pet, after a certain 30  Hyla VOL. 2014., No. 1, Str. 30 -32 ISSN: 1848-2007 Photo note Gvozdenović & Iković 2014  period, to be rejected and left at the nearest habitat, after it grows in size and gets too large for its aquarium. There was a similar case at the city of Mijas, Spain, where the citizens noticed an alligator next to a local road. Since this is not its natural habitat, it would soon die or adapt to it without disturbing the balance of the surrounding ecosystem. This is also a common occurence with many other kinds of reptiles when they grow too large for their cage or aquarium, and are released into the wild, this is seen most often with the red-eard slider Trachemys scripta elegans (Žagar et al. 2013). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank to Zdravko Šljukić, Director of "Protection and rescue service" of the municipality of Budva, for providing data.  REFERENCES Carlos, O. & Diefenbach, C. (1975): Gastric function in Caiman crocodilus (Crocodilia: Reptilia) - I. Rate of gastric digestion and gastric motility as a function of temperature. Comparative Biochemistry Physiology 51a: 259-265. Engler, M. & Parry-Jones, R. (2007): Opportunity  or threat: The role of the European Union   in global wildlife trade. TRAFFIC Europe, Brussels, Belgium. Jackson, T. (2007): The World Encyclopedia of Animals. Anness Publishing Ltd.  Kalezić, M. & Tomović, Lj. (2007): Hordati. NNK Internacional, Beograd. Krkalić, L., Šatrović, E., Goletić, T., Hadžiomerović, Z. & Mulabdić, F. (2011): Cites − The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Veterinary Journal of Republic of Srpska 11: 1-128. Ljubisavljević, K., Džukić, G. & Kalezić, M. (2011): The commercial export of the land tortoises (Testudo spp.) from the territory of the former Yugoslavia: a historical review and the impact of overharvesting on wild populations. North-Western Journal of Zoology 7 (2): 250-260. Pernetta, A. P. (2009): Monitoring the trade: using the CITES database to examine the global trade in live monitor lizards (Varanus spp.). Biawak: Quarterly Journal of Varanid Biology and Husbandry 3: 37-45. Schlaepfer, M. A., Hoover, C. & Dodd, K. Jr. (2005): Challenges in evaluating the impact of  the trade in amphibians and reptiles on wild populations. BioScience 55: 256-264. Žagar, A., Cafuta, V., Drašler, K., Jagar, T., Krofel, M., Lužnik, M., Ostanek, E., Petkovska,V., Planinic, G., Sopotnik, M. & Vamberger, M. (2013): A review of eleven short-term reptile surveys in the Western Balkans. Hyla 2013 (1): 3– 21. 31  Hyla VOL. 2014., No. 1, Str. 30 -32 ISSN: 1848-2007 Photo note Gvozdenović & Iković 2014   Figure 1. Spectacled caiman in Budva (Montenegro) Slika 1. Kajman naočar u Budvi (Crna Gora)    32  

Pronalazak kajmana naočara Caiman crocodilius Linnaeus, 1758 (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae) u Crnoj Gori

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