C. Can Bilgin

Human–Brown Bear Conflicts in Artvin, Northeastern Turkey: Encounters, Damage, and Attitudes

Abstract The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is the largest carnivore in Turkey and has been legally protected since 2003. However, increasing levels of conflict between brown bears and humans have been reported for several regions, especially for Artvin in northeastern Turkey. We documented the conflict in an attempt to understand human attitudes and responses and evaluate existing and potential damage prevention techniques. The study was conducted within landscapes at different scales, ranging from a core area defined by a large valley system to the whole of the Artvin Province. Data on close encounters, injuries, and damage caused were collected through government records, published literature, and open-ended interviews with the local people. On more than two-thirds of close encounters recorded, no harm occurred to bear or people. Bear attacks on humans were rare and only occasionally led to non-fatal injuries. Nevertheless, several bears were shot and killed in the study area during the study (2002–2005), apparently as a consequence of damage experienced by farmers. Interviews indicated a widespread belief that bears have become more of a problem. Bear damage was reported mostly in late summer for field crops and orchards and in spring for beehives. Precautions taken by villagers relied mostly on locally available technologies and varied in effectiveness against bears. We propose that introduction and implementation of modern techniques of exclusion such as portable electric fences around valuable resources (e.g. bee yards), improvements in bear awareness, and effective cooperation among various stakeholders would reduce human–bear conflict to acceptable levels in the region.

Discordance between ventral colour and mtDNA haplotype in the water frog Rana (ridibunda) caralitana, 1988 Arikan

The water frog form caralitana was first described as a subspecies of Rana ridibunda by Arikan (1988) from southwestern Turkey. Its orange ventral colour has been used as a diagnostic character since its description. After testing for a correlation between body size and ventral colour, we compared mtDNA and venter colour of adult specimens from 27 localities to assess the validity of this character for systematics of Anatolian water frogs. We mapped the distribution of each category and tested whether there is concordance between mtDNA haplotype and ventral colour of sampled individuals at the watershed level. Furthermore, we analyzed relationships between ventral colour and altitude. Size and ventral colouration were found to be significantly correlated. The distribution of orange ventral colour exhibited a complex clinal variation espe- cially west of the Lake District where different coloured individuals are seen syntopically. In other regions, there were abrupt changes, presumably because of geographic barriers such as mountains. Our results indicate that although there is significant concordance between caralitana-specific mtDNA and orange venter colour, there are certain watersheds where the majority of sampled individuals exhibits discordance in mtDNA and ventral colouration. In all periphery regions, some degree of ge- netic introgression is indicated. These patterns clearly indicate gene flow between the caralitana lineage and non-caralitana lineages and is supported by lack of evidence for habitat-specific selection, the assignment of individuals from the same population into distinct clades, and the occurrence of an intermediate character between different forms in transition zones.

Post-Fledging Movements of Cinereous Vultures Aegypius monachus in Turkey Revealed by GPS Telemetry

We studied the movements, home ranges and roost site preferences of three first-year Cinereous Vultures Aegypius monachus after they fledged at the Türkmenbaba Mountains, Eskiehir, western Turkey. We captured chicks at the nest in 2009 and 2010 and fitted them with GPS-GSM transmitters. After fledging, we received a total of 993 locations from all birds during 105–148 days of tracking. Tracked birds initially used small foraging areas, covering a mean 90% kernel home range of 356 ±134 SE km2, and on average moved <10 km per day. As they started to migrate, daily movements increased to 59.3–120.3 km on average and took place largely during midday. Birds preferred to roost at sites with higher altitude, steeper slope and more wooded land. Our data suggest that first year birds from Turkey disperse south in October and November to desert habitats in middle latitude Arabia, and may cover up to 2765 km during migration.

First record of a melanistic golden jackal (Canis aureus, Canidae) from Turkey

Abstract The golden jackal is a locally common mammal species widely distributed along the Black Sea and other coastal regions of Turkey. Between February 2009 and April 2010, we conducted a camera trap study in Artvin, northeastern Turkey that revealed the presence of ten medium or large mammal species. We report here the first ever photographic evidence of a melanistic golden jackal, along with its normal-colored probable mate. Dark fur color in wolves has been shown to be historically transferred from domestic dogs, and interbreeding among wolves, coyotes and dogs is well documented. However, we consider this an unlikely mechanism for the present observation, and instead suggest independent mutation as the source of this possibly adaptive trait.

Strong population structure in a species manipulated by humans since the Neolithic: the European fallow deer ( Dama dama dama )

Species that have been translocated and otherwise manipulated by humans may show patterns of population structure that reflect those interactions. At the same time, natural processes shape populations, including behavioural characteristics like dispersal potential and breeding system. In Europe, a key factor is the geography and history of climate change through the Pleistocene. During glacial maxima throughout that period, species in Europe with temperate distributions were forced south, becoming distributed among the isolated peninsulas represented by Anatolia, Italy and Iberia. Understanding modern patterns of diversity depends on understanding these historical population dynamics. Traditionally, European fallow deer (Dama dama dama) are thought to have been restricted to refugia in Anatolia and possibly Sicily and the Balkans. However, the distribution of this species was also greatly influenced by human-mediated translocations. We focus on fallow deer to better understand the relative influence of these natural and anthropogenic processes. We compared modern fallow deer putative populations across a broad geographic range using microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA loci. The results revealed highly insular populations, depauperate of genetic variation and significantly differentiated from each other. This is consistent with the expectations of drift acting on populations founded by small numbers of individuals, and reflects known founder populations in the north. However, there was also evidence for differentiation among (but not within) physically isolated regions in the south, including Iberia. In those regions we find evidence for a stronger influence from natural processes than may be expected for a species with such strong, known anthropogenic influence.

First record of the Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) from Ankara, Turkey

Abstract A pair of Common Mynas (Acridotheres tristis) was first recorded at Ankara, Turkey, on 12.5.1996, and later proved to breed there successfully. A description is given, and possible origin is discussed. This is the first documented record for Turkey.

The Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio porphyrio, in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract The decrease of the East Mediterranean population of the Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio porphyrio, since the last century, perhaps even since classical antiquity, is described. The only locality where the ssp. seistanicus is known to breed in the Mediterranean is the Goksu delta in Turkey (< 30 pairs) for which urgent conservation measures are recommended.

Comparison of three different primer sets for sexing birds

Because many bird species are monomorphic or only sexually dimorphic in adult stages, it is difficult to determine their sexes, which may cause significant problems in population and conservation studies. DNA-based sexing relies on the chromodomain helicase DNA binding (CHD) gene located on the W chromosome and its homolog on the Z chromosome, giving distinct banding patterns on agarose gel as a result of length differences in intronic regions within this gene. We used 3 specific primer sets, CHD1F/CHD1R, 2550F/2718R, and P2/P8, for sex determination of 230 samples from 77 avian species. We report here the records for 70 of those species analyzed using the CHD1F/CHD1R primer set, and 49 species using 2550F/2718R, and 46 species using P2/P8. CHD1F/CHD1R PCR products on agarose gel generally showed an apparent single band in males and 2 bands in females, but the products of 2550F/2718R (61%) and P2/P8 (42%) showed distinct banding patterns for separate bird orders. However, when PCR products of these last 2 primer pairs labeled with fluorescent dye were run in a capillary gel and detected using a DNA analyzer, P2/P8 gave 2 distinguishable peaks in females, whereas 2550F/2718R results remained the same. DNA sexing with any of those 3 primer sets can be used for all sexually monomorphic avian taxa although the primer sets should be compared before choosing the most efficient one for molecular sexing of the studied species.

Genetic evidence for human-mediated introduction of Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax cf. bedriagae) to Cyprus (Amphibia: Ranidae)

We found in two water frogs captured in Cyprus, the distribution area of P. cypriensis, nuclear alleles and mitochondrial haplotypes that are characteristic of Anatolian water frogs, Pelophylax cf. bedriagae. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data strongly indicate that the ancestors of these two frogs did not arrive on Cyprus via a land bridge or overseas dispersal but were unintentionally introduced by humans, most probably together with carp fingerlings. Both individuals exhibited recombined nuclear genomes characteristic of backcross hybrids. Further investigations are needed to estimate the amount of introgression of allochthonous alleles into the gene pool of P. cypriensis.

First record of Musca domestica calleva Walker, 1849 (Diptera: Muscidae) from Southern Turkey

Abstract The first record of Musca domestica calleva from Incekum. Antalya (Turkey) is presented. Multivariate comparison of the morphology as well as comparisons of mating behaviour and malathion resistance with other housefly populations support the diagnosis. The zoogeographical significance of this find is briefly discussed.