Az Alpokalja természeti képe közlemények 8. (Praenorica - Folia historico-naturalia. Szombathely, 2005)

Dankovics Róbert: A rákosi vipera (Vipera ursinii rakosiensis Méhely, 1893) elterjedéstörténete és természetvédelmi helyzete a Fertő-Hanság Nemzeti Parkban

VIII PRAENORICA FOLIA HISTORICO-NATURALIA 2005 A RÁKOSI VIPERA (VIPERA URSINU RAKOSIENSIS MÉHELY, 1893) ELTERJEDÉS-TÖRTÉNETE ÉS TERMÉSZETVÉDELMI HELYZETE A FERTŐ-HANSÁG NEMZETI PARKBAN DANKOVICS Róbert

1 The range history of the Hungarian meadow viper (Vipera ursinii rakosiensis Méhely, 1893) and its conservation status in the Fertő-Hanság National Park — Only fragments remain of the former range of the Hungarian meadow viper ( Vipera ursinii rakosiensis) SW of the Danube

—in the Vienna Basin and Fertőzug and across to the Hanság. Having surveyed the historical data, the paper describes researches in 2001-5 in NW Hungary, in the Northern Hanság area of the Fertő-Hanság National Park, where two habitat locations for this viper could be confirmed, above 113 m in altitude, in a mesophilous meadow of a marsh sedge community (Caricetum acutiformis) surrounded by areas of rich fen meadow (Seslerietum uliginosae) and Molinia meadow (SuccisoMolinietum hangaricae), or by hills covered in degraded closed sand steppe (Astragalo-Festucetum sulcatae). Sampling led to 69 specimens being identified individually from 80 catches. Monitoring examinations of prey animals (Orthoptera, Amphibia and Reptilia) and measurement of the occurrences of potential predators (Aves, Mammalia) also occurred in this period. The known habitats of the subspecies, covering hardly 50 ha of the Hanság, are in state ownership and national-park management, with 'protected' or 'strictly protected' conservation status. They have been protected by electric fencing to ward off the damage by wild boar, with controlled grazing of sheep over the last five years, and mechanical mowing every two years, during the snakes' season of reduced activity. The currently known habitats face not only problems typical of small and rare populations, but weed infestations

—mainly the spread of giant golden-rod (Solidago gigantea)

—dryland succession (scrub encroachment, spontaneous afforestation), loss of hibernation sites, inappropriate land treatment, birds, and illegal captures. It is vital to the survival of the species to create connecting areas between known populations, develop new habitats and increase the existing ones, ensure land treatment favourable to the subspecies

—mainly based on grazing

—and enhance protection that minimizes damage caused by predators and illegal captures. Savaria Múzeum, H-9700 Szombathely, Kisfaludy S. u. 9., Hungary