The project entitled “Distribution, ecology, and conservation status of the Eastern Orange Tip (Anthocharis damone Boisduval, 1836) in Serbia” is the first project implemented by the HabiProt Association under the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.

This project represents the first systematic study of this species in Serbia and aims to collect data that will contribute to its long-term conservation.

Anthocharis damone – male.

Although Anthocharis damone is recognized as an Endangered (EN) species in Europe, very little is known about its distribution, population size, and ecology. In Serbia, the species has been recorded at only a few localities, while the status of most known populations remains insufficiently studied.

Field surveys will be conducted at known localities in western Serbia, including the vicinity of Trijebine and the Zlatibor region (the canyons of the Uvac and Crni Rzav rivers), as well as in other suitable but insufficiently explored areas, including the slopes of the Kopaonik, Željin, Stolovi, Maljen, Suvobor, and the southern part of Tara Mountain. Particular attention will be given to serpentine habitats, which represent unique ecosystems rich in rare and endemic plant and animal species.

Serpentine habitat.

Host plant – Isatis tinctoria.

The results of the project will provide an important scientific basis for future conservation activities in Serbia, including the development of habitat management recommendations, the improvement of protection measures for existing localities, and the potential inclusion of the species in future updates of the national Red List.

Project objectives:

• To discover new populations of Anthocharis damone in suitable habitats across western Serbia;
• To assess the status of known populations and identify the main threats affecting their survival;
• To develop recommendations and propose conservation measures for the long-term protection of the species and its habitats.

Through this project, HabiProt continues its commitment to the research and conservation of Serbia’s biodiversity, contributing to a better understanding and more effective protection of rare and threatened species and their habitats.

* This grant is funded as part of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund Fonseca Leadership Program, which was established by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).