For tortoise, terrapin and turtle care and conservation
For 2026 it has been decided to support and collaborate with a conservation scheme for the European Pond Terrapin (Emys orbicularis) in Slovakia.
European Pond Terrapin
The European pond Terrapin is the only native chelonia species in Slovakia and it is also highly endangered in several other European countries.
The organisation which has worked for years to protect this marsh turtle is BROZ, a well established conservation NGO in Slovakia. It has had EU support on occasion and at present is collaborating on the E.orbicularis with Hungary.
BROZ is trying to protect and restore wetlands and grasslands and also buys land to secure it for nature.
In Slovakia the terrapins are suffering from habitat destruction and agricultural machinery in the Spring. The campaign BROZ leads is geared towards practical and physical protection of this marsh turtle and this is achieved via extensive fieldwork in the key location in the Danube Region.
Many hours are spent on fieldwork by surveying the area with the help of a trained dog finding the nests and then placing grids on the nests so the eggs are protected from predators, which are mainly foxes. The grids allow the hatchlings to escape through the grids and from observation they do not appear to be suffering serious further predation.
There is mixed ownership of the Danube wetlands where these marsh turtles reside. The major water bodies are mostly owned by the State, others are in private hands.
But the key site of the Slovakian European Pond Terrapin where the conservation takes place has already been purchased by BROZ and this Emys site is partly fenced and grazed by animals, so it is safe from people (and their dogs) from entering the area.
BROZ has restored and purchased some land for Emys protection and nature in general and re-created small scale waterbodies. Although there is potential for releasing young animals into the wild the main purpose is awareness of the Emys orbicularis and the wetlands, so primarily the focus is on in-situ conservation.
More Information:
https://broz.sk/en/new-emys-project-aimed-at-habitat-restoration-and-conservation-of-the-european-pond-turtle/
The BCG has released £5,000 initially to help with the conservation of this species and hopes to be able to contribute the Appeal monies for 2026 as well.
DONATIONS TO THE APPEAL
If you wish to make a donation towards this worthwhile in-situ conservation project you can do so by adding an amount to your membership contribution or you can make a donation via the website on the PayPal button.
Alternatively you can send a cheque or postal order via mail to the membership secretary, either via the Registered Address of our Charity or the post box number on the membership form. Just mention “BCG APPEAL” on the envelope.
Photographs and text below: by courtesy of BROZ
A dog was specially trained for this mission
The dog is a corgi and her name is Rexa. Her owner, cynologist Peta, trained her to search for terrapin eggs. And now Rexa and Peta are the most important conservation commando of small terrapins in Slovakia. They go searching for clutches from June till August in the early morning, when the terrapins have laid their eggs in the field. When Rexa sniffs a clutch of eggs, she stops and waits for Petra to put a metal protective grill in place. This will protect the eggs from foxes and other predators, but the hatchlings will get through the grill without any problem. In the following Spring the success of the hatching is checked.
This requires their regular presence at one important location in the Danube region, commuting, travelling and hours and hours of work.
A dog with a special mission: Rexa and a European Pond Terrapin
Surveying the area and searching for nests
The most vulnerable time for the marsh turtles is certainly in the egg stage. It can be up to ten months from when the terrapin digs the nest and buries the eggs into the ground until the hatchlings emerge in the Spring. During this time the animals are threatened by several dangers.The immediate danger is the digging up of eggs by predators, especially foxes. They can identify the nests by their good sense of smell, dig the eggs up and eat them. Another great danger threatens eggs at the time of agricultural work, in early Spring, when ploughing takes place and the nests are destroyed by agricultural machinery. So BROZ is focussing on protecting the nests from the above dangers and also by preventing the drying of wetlands by restoring them for the animals. A practical and physical protection to help with the conservation of the animals to which we, in the BCG, can make a contribution.