Compensatie voor leefgebied en verplaatsing van een populatie hazelwormen

Habitat compensation and translocation of a slow worm population. On a site destined for development in Wolfheze, in the centre of the Netherlands, a population of the slow worm (Anguis fragilis) was present. As it is a protected species, compensation for the loss of habitat is required by the Dutch nature conservation laws. Translocation was chosen as mitigation measure. This resulted in 149 slow worms being translocated to suitable habitat in the neighbourhood. The following year, new habitat was created adjacent to the release location. Monitoring will be carried out to see if new habitat is suitable for slow worms in the future. The translocation of the slow worms appears to have been successful. However, several aspects are still being debated, including the fact that the slow worms were translocated into an extant population. Monitoring the condition of translocated animals is not incorporated into the Dutch guidelines concerning translocations. However, this and other aspects should be taken into account if we are to improve future translocations.