Barriers for conservation: mitigating the impact on amphibians and reptiles by water cisterns in arid environments

Published source details Pleguezuelos J.M., García-Cardenete L., Caro J., Feriche M., Pérez-García M.T., Santos X., Sicilia M. & Fahd S. (2017) Barriers for conservation: mitigating the impact on amphibians and reptiles by water cisterns in arid environments. Amphibia-Reptilia, 38, 113-118.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Prevent access to livestock water feeders Action Link

Prevent access to livestock water feeders

A replicated, randomized, controlled, before-and-after study in 2014–2016 in three areas of desert shrub and grassland in south-western Morocco (Pleguezuelos et al. 2017) found that adding mesh covers to ground-level livestock water feeders resulted in fewer reptiles and amphibians being trapped. Ground-level water feeders with in and outflow openings covered by wire mesh trapped fewer reptiles and amphibians (17% of feeders; 0.3 individuals trapped/feeder) compared to water feeders without wire mesh covers attached (36% of feeders; 0.8 individuals trapped/feeder). Before mesh covers were attached, numbers of reptiles and amphibian species trapped were similar amongst all feeders located in the same areas (see original paper for details). Rectangular concrete, roofed, ground-level water feeders (‘cisterns’, all <15 years old) designed to capture rainwater for livestock were surveyed in three zones (168–212 km²) in the north-western Sahara Desert (24 feeders/zone). Water inlet and overflow openings were covered with wire mesh on 12 randomly selected feeders/zone. All feeders were surveyed for reptiles and amphibians once before mesh was applied in November 2014 (zones 1 and 2) or October 2015 (zone 3) and again either four times in June 2015–April 2016 (zones 1 and 2) or twice in March–April 2016 (zone 3). All dead and live reptiles and amphibians found inside feeders were recorded.

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)