Differences in personality / temperament in the endangered tortoise Testudo hermanni and their implications on dispersal and conservation

Abstract

Behavioural studies are more an more implicated in species conservation. Determining individuals personality in the case of reintroduction operations may be very useful. Actually, indiviuals temperament may be associated to their dispersal capacities and their habilities to adapt to novel environments. Considered as asociable species, few studies have been conducted on reptiles and this is even worse in the case of endangered species. Hermann tortoise, Testudo hermanni, an endemic species from Mediterranean region is endangered because of the lost and modification of its habitats. Before conducting reintroduction actions it is important to have more information on individuals personality traits. We have tested the reaction of three groups of tortoises (domestic, wild and from the SOPTOM center) when confronted to a novel environment and to human presence. The aim was to discriminate individuals with << bold >> and << shy >> behaviours. Behavioural profiles are different between the three groups of tortoises, the domestic group appeared to be bolder than the wild one. Moreover, for the wild group, bold individuals travel longer distances in the field, sometimes outside the protected areas. Thus, it is important to take into account the personality of individuals choosen for translocation projects.