Hospital clean-up threatens rare terrapin pond

By Martin Hellicar

RARE wild terrapins hanging on in a small natural pool behind Nicosia’s general hospital could have their habitat wiped out by a municipality “clean-up” operation.

Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou says the stagnant pond, in a thicket in the bed of the Pedhiaios river, constitutes a health hazard.

In a written response yesterday to an earlier complaint about the pool from Edek deputy Takis Hadjidemetriou, Christodoulou assures that the pool is regularly sprayed with pesticide.

“The Nicosia municipality, being aware of the seriousness of the problem, recently decided to carry out a clean-up of the relevant section of the river,” the minister adds.

The government Environment Service’s wildlife expert, Miroulla Hadjichristoforou, was dismayed to hear of the municipality’s plans yesterday.

“We will contact the municipality to give them instructions (to ensure the terrapins are not effected),” Hadjichristoforou told the Cyprus Mailyesterday.

The expert also expressed concern about the pesticide spraying, noting that it could adversely effect the rare fresh-water reptiles.

The terrapins, Mauremis caspica, are an indigenous species that have suffered greatly through loss of wetland habitat and are now endangered and protected by law.

Hadjichristoforou said they still survived in a number of riverine sites, the location of which was a closely guarded secret — to avoid collection for the pet trade.

The Environment Service has plans to include a number of terrapin sites on a list of wildlife habitats to be protected under the EU’s Natura 2000 conservation programme.

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