Assessing population size of Martino's vole (<em>Dinaromys bogdanovi</em>) in central Bosnia

Abstract

We carried out a Capture-Mark-Recapture study on Martino's vole <em>Dinaromys bogdanovi</em> on Mt. Bjela&scaron;nica, central Bosnia. During two trapping sessions (June and September 2008) we recorded 21 individuals which were captured 33 times. Voles were trapped significantly more frequently during the night (85% of all captures). In June all the animals were adult females while three age classes (juvenile, subadult and adult) were distinguished in September. No reproductive activity was recorded in mid-June and not a single adult female was evidently pregnant in September. Also, subadults (N = 6) did not show reproductive activity. Martino&rsquo;s voles proved sedentary and only two individuals moved between trap stations. Ten adults were captured in two sessions on an area of 5.67 ha, resulting in a population density of about 2.5 voles per hectare.

Keywords

• Dinaromys bogdanovi
• rarity
• population density
• CMR
• Balkans
• biodiversity