EL PRIORAT

THE MEDITERRANIAN TORTOISE IN MARÇÀ

The situation of the Mediterranean tortoise ( Testudo hermanni ) in our country, as well as in most of the places where it lives, provides us with a faithful evidence of the huge changes that the ecosystems have been experiencing as a result of their noticeable humanization since the most ancient times. From the very early ages, during the Neolithic, the habitat of this species was extremely altered due to the substitution of the Mediterranean woods by cultivations, and this fact gave grounds to its loss and fragmentation. During the 20 th century the forest fires, the catch of tortoises with the purpose of turning them into domestic animals and the mortality, due to running over or attacks by other domestic animals, contributed to deteriorate the situation up to dramatic extremes.

For this reason, the spreading of the notice about the existence of a population of Mediterranean tortoises in the township of Marçà has merited not only the attention of the competent administrations, but also the Fundació Territori i Paisatge (Territory and Landscape Foundation) has showed its interest very soon, contributing with financing and material means that made possible the project for management and conservation of the Mediterranean tortoise to be started in the year 2005, at the township of Marçà.

That is why the information coverage that several graphic and audiovisual media have been carrying out should not be surprising at all. This is the moment when a reflection should be done in a medium term about the results and conclusions taken during this first year, in order to design the continuation of the project with the purpose of achieving a better future for the Mediterranean tortoise in Marçà.

The Mediterranean tortoise is, thanks to its popularity, a species which is very emblematic with relation to the conservation of some given Mediterranean ecosystems. So, it is a good pretext that helps to the management of the natural areas in the mountains near to the coast, facing their intense humanization and, on the rebound, for the conservation of other different species that are living there but are not so popular among the people. As well, due to this interaction with the humans and the series of problems that this has caused, it is a good instrument that can help to the environmental education of the population regarding the relationship between mankind and nature.

The development of the current project inside the township of Marçà can be very positive not only for the village, but also for the whole region of El Priorat, where an economic sector could make progress: the service sector, which is becoming more and more complementary to the agriculture.

This is why we are now trying to go ahead with the Centre for Interpretation, Study and Recovery of the Mediterranean Tortoise. This project includes three lines of action: captive breeding, environmental education and interpretation, and environmental research.