Scientific work at BION Terrarium Center

RESPONSIBLE HERPETOCULTURE (RH) PROJECT from BION team in cooperation with Philippe de Vojoli  – is a basically new system for uniting professionals and amateurs, who keep and breed amphibians and reptiles for:

– creation and management of populations of amphibians and reptiles outside the bounds of their natural habitats in the context of the global destruction of natural ecosystems with the aim of forming a reserve bank of genes in the form of live, breeding animals which are genetically, morphologically, physiologically and behaviorally to the maximum extent possible identical to individuals from specific natural populations with the prospect of their subsequent populations  reintroduction;

– Advocating herpetoculture as an integral part of zooculture and effective mechanism to combat poaching and smuggling: captive-bred, healthy adopted animals are always better to meet the needs of world’s pet market than wild-caught animals;

– Protecting herpetoculture from unsound regulatory and legislative policies. Presentation to the media the positive accomplishments of herpetoculture;

– Creating opportunities for experienced (reputable) breeders to obtain, breed and legally move rare and valuable species within the framework of a controlled program;

– Promoting herpetoculture as an important part of ecological education worldwide, RH contribution to the conservation of species in nature;

– Collecting, exchanging and analyzing information that is important for breeding and getting healthy multiple generations of amphibians and reptiles;

www.responsibleherpetoculture.com.ua

BION’s team attending the 1st international conference on herpetoculture – “Herpeton-2019”, San Diego, California, USA. You can read the talk presented by Dmitri Tkachev on this conference via the following link: https://bion.com.ua/talk-in-san-diego/

Members of BION’s staff frequently participate in international scientific and practical conferences, presenting scientifica aspects and results of their work:

  1. The IX International Scientific Conference of the Ukrainian Herpetological Society “Reading Professor Eugene Maximovich Pisanets”, October 14-16, 2017 at the National Scientific and Natural Museum of NAS of Ukraine (Kyiv).
  2. The X International Conference of the Ukrainian Herpetological Society (September 16-18, 2019, Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine.
  3. The 62nd International Conference for students of physics and natural sciences “Open Readings 2019” on March 19-22, Vilnius, Lithuania.
  4. The 1st international conference on herpetoculture”Herpeton-2019″, San Diego, CA, USA.

Currently, BION’s members of BION’s team have published a number of scientific works.

  1. Dubyna Anastasiia, Tkachev Dmitri, Neizhko Ivan, Nekrasova Oksana, Marushchak Oleksiі // Development of breeding techniques in herpetoculture as an approach to leaf-tailed geckos’ (Gekkonidae, Uroplatus) conservation // Abstract book of 62nd International Conference for students of physics and natural sciences “Open Readings 2019” on March 19-22, Vilnius, Lithuania. – Vilnius. – 2019 – P. 467.
  2. Pupins M., Nekrasova O., Marushchak O., Dubyna A., Neizhko I. Morphological features of European pond turtles’ (Emys orbicularis) hatchlings at the Northern edge (Latvia) and Central part (Ukraine) of its distribution range // Abstracts of II Congresso Nazionale Testuggini e Tartarughe. Ottonello D., Oneto F., Salvidio S. (Eds), 2019. – Albenga, 11-13 aprile 2019. – P. 49.
  3. Pupins Mihails, Nekrasova O., Marushchak O., Dubyna A., Neizhko I. Morphological features of European pond turtles’ Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) hatchlings at the northern edge (Latvia) and central part (Ukraine) of its distribution range // Atti II Congresso Nazionale Testuggini e Tartarughe (Albenga, 11-13 aprile 2019). – 2020. – P. 183-191.
  4. Дубина А. Д., Марущак О. Ю., Неїжко І. П., Некрасова О. Д. Досвід розведення гігантського мадагаскарського листохвостого гекона (Uroplatus giganteus Glaw, Kosuch, Henkel, Sound & Bohme, 2006) в контрольованих умовах // Матеріали Х Міжнародної конференції Українського герпетологічного товариства (16-18 вересня, 2019 р., Кам’янець-Подільський). – Київ. – 2019. – C. 18-19.
  5. Марущак О. Ю., Неїжко І. П. Досвід розмноження галапагоської лавової ящірки Microlophus albemarlensis у контрольованих умовах на базі БІОН тераріум центру // Матеріали Х Міжнародної конференції Українського герпетологічного товариства (16-18 вересня, 2019 р., Кам’янець-Подільський). – Київ. – 2019. – C. 32-33.
  6. Marushchak O. Yu., Tkachev D. O., Nekrasova O. D., Marushchak A. D. The data on the reproductive biology of the satanic leaf-tailed gecko, Uroplatus phantasticus (Squamata, Gekkonidae), at the BION Terrarium Center as a contribution to ex situ offspring programs // Zoodiversity. – 2022. – V. 56(1). – P. 29-38. https://doi.org/10.15407/zoo2022.01.029
  7. Tкачев Д. О. Роль Національного науково-природничого музею НАН України в становленні та розвитку “БІОН Тераріум Центру” // Збірник праць Зоологічного музею. – Вип. 50. – 2019. – С. 70-76.
  8. Ткачев Д. А. Террариумистика в Украине вчера, сегодня, завтра: к истории вопроса. // Праці Українського герпетологічного товариства. – 2011. – Вип. 3. – С. 186-190.
  9. Неижко И. П., Ткачев Д. А., Марущак О. Ю. Особенности содержания и єкспонирования крупных видов рептилий в зоопарках // Збірник статей інформаційно-методичної конференції “Оригінальні експозиції в зоопарках України”, 23-24 жовтня 2018 р. – Київ. – 2018. – С. 34-42.
  10. Дкачев Д., Неижко И., Кривошеева Л., Ивануна А., Ивануна Е. Содержание и разведение некоторых редких в зоокультуре видов ящериц в Бион-Террариум Центре // Збірник наукових статей присвячених 35-річчю Рівненського зоопарку. – 2017. – Рівне. – С. 90-104.

In 2013, BION Terrarium Center co-organized the seminar “Madagascar. Peculiarities of the biology of some commercially valuable species of lizards in nature and in captivity”, which took place on April 4, 2013 at the address: Kyiv, str. Bohdana Khmelnytskoho, 15, 4th floor of the National Natural Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Program of the seminar

11.00 – 11.30 – “BION Terrarium Center and Herpetofauna of Madagascar”. Dmitri Tkachev, director of the BION Terrarium Center (Kyiv).
11.30 – 12.00 – “Herpetology and herpetoculture (terrarium science). Effective interaction” d.b.sc. Evgeny Pysanets, head Zoo Museum of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv).
12.00 – 13.00 – “Madagascar leaf-tailed geckos – taxonomy, ecology, maintenance and breeding in terrarium conditions.” Yuri Kaverkin, leading specialist of the Aqualogo company (Moscow).
13.30 – 14.30 – “Panther chameleon. Background view or mystery with many unknowns?” Serhiy Prokopiev, head of the tropical lizard breeding center (Kharkiv).
14.30 – 15.00 – “Some data on the reproduction of Parson’s chameleons in captivity” Liliya Kryvosheeva, head of the BION Terrarium Center laboratory (Kyiv).
15.00 – 16.00 – Watching of the film “Madagascar. For reptiles around the world.”
17.00 – 17.30 – Visiting the “Night World” exhibition.

 

In 2022 BION initiated the start of international “Responsible Herpetoculture” Project. In terms of theis project a regular publication called “Responsible Herpetoculture Journal” is published. So far we have published 3 issues of the journal and the next ones are being prepared right now. You can find the .pdf version of the Issues #1, #2 and #3 on our web site: https://responsibleherpetoculture.com.ua/