For more than 5 years, from 2007 to 2012 we carried out a series of tortoise rescue actions along the Black Sea Coast. Our main goal was to prevent the drastic decline of both tortoise species in the Coastal Region caused by expanding resort construction.
Tortoises were rescued from sites, mostly in southern Black Sea coast, facing total annihilation. More than 10 experts and volunteers participated in the rescue operation. Over 700 tortoises were relocated in protected areas so far. Every year 10 Testudo hermanni and 10 Testudo graeca were fitted with radio transmitters for further radiotelemetric study. They were relocated in new habitats in protected areas and were monitored several years after. This was the first radio telemetry study with chelonians in Bulgaria. Radio telemetry helped us define the adaptation success of the relocated tortoises.
