Boyan Petrov

(MSc, zoologist)

phone: (+359 2) 987 36 80; (+359 2) 988 51 15 (ext. 678); e-mail:

Born: 7 February 1973, Sofia.
Education: Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ (1992—1997).
Speciality: zoology, ecology.

Invertebrates Department

Research interests

Distribution, biology and ecology of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera);

Caves and cave dwelling fauna of Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula;

Fauna of the high mountains in the world;

Taxonomy and zoogeography of the false scorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones);

Herpetology — distribution and biology of amphibians and reptiles (Amphibia and Reptilia).

Professional experience

Expert on bats, amphibians, reptiles and cave fauna in more than 30 projects for biodiversity assessments in the national parks, reserves, protected areas and NATURA 2000 sites in Bulgaria.

Team leader of biodiversity research projects in various regions of Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.

Team member in many field surveys and conservation projects.

Manager of national and international projects on bat’s ecology and protection.

Consultant of experts in the Ministry of Environment and Waters, Regional Inspectorates of Environment and Waters, Executive Environmental Agency, non governmental organization, popular magazines and on-line editions.

Appraiser of projects in the field of biodiversity research and management of protected territories.

Author of many assessments, statements, instructions, project reports, popular papers and travel notes.

Experienced public speaker and presenter.

Member of the Managing committee of the Bulgarian Climbing and Mountaineering Federation.

Member of the Access Commission at the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA).

Member of the Advisory Committee of the Agreement of the Conservation of Bats in Europe.

Coordinator of the Bat Research and Conservation Center at the National Museum of Natural History.

Current projects

Monitoring of bat populations in Bulgaria — Executive Environmental Agency, Ministry of Environment and Waters (2008—2010).

Research on the species composition and distribution of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) on the route of Nabucco gas pipeline in Bulgaria. GeoMarine Centre (2010).

Appropriate Assessment of Bulgaria’s National Renewable Energy Action Plan — part Bats. POVVIK AD (2010).

Strategical Environmental Review of wind power development in Bulgaria — POVVIK AD (2010).

Ecology, behaviour and population genetics of the forest living Bechstein’s bat (Myotis bechsteinii) in Bulgaria, Balkan Peninsula and Caucasus — Swiss National Science Foundation/SCOPES Program, University of Zurich, University of Novi Sad, Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories Krasnodar, Field Researchers Union Campester (2006—2009).

Research on caves and bats in the Rhodopes Mountains — UNDP Rodope Project (2005—2009).

Research on bats in Madan municipality, Western Rhodopes Mountain — Association of Parks in Bulgaria (2008—2009).

European Bat Nights — EUROBATS (2008—2012).

Bats and Environmental Impact Assessments — BBI MATRA, Dutch Mammal Society (VZZ), Romanian Bat Protection Association (2007—2008).

Criteria for accessing the Favourable Conservation Status of 13 species of bats in Bulgaria and two natural underground habitats — Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (2007—2008).

Establishment and optimisation of NATURA 2000 Network in Bulgaria — Ministry of Environment and Waters, Central Laboratory for General Ecology (2007—2008).

Population structure and ecology of the endangered forest-living Bechstein’s bat in its glacial refuge, the Bulgarian-Turkish Strandja Mountains — National Geographic Society Research Fund, University of Zurich, Trakya University Edirne (2006—2007).

First investigation of the ‘milieu souterrain superficiel’ (MSS) in Bulgaria: comparative analysis of the fauna of silicate and limestone MSS environments based on selected invertebrate animals — National Science Fund (2006—2009).

Restoring Ecological Networks across Transport Corridors in Bulgaria — BBI MATRA, ALTERRA Wageningen, Central Laboratory for General Ecology, Institute of Zoology (2006—2008).

Red Data Book of Republic of Bulgaria: bats and underground habitats — Ministry of Environment and Waters (2005—2009).

Research on the false scorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) of the Rhodopes Mountain: Species composition, distribution and ecology — NMNHS (2000—2010).

Cave fauna of the Western Rhodopes, Pirin and Slavyanka: Species diversity, distribution, and conservation (2000—2012).

Expedition experience

Member and leader of research and mountaineering expeditions in Kazakhstan (1990), France, Spain and Italy (1992—1994), Greece (2000, 2006—2009), Turkey (2000, 2006—2009), Romania (2000), Karakoram (Pakistan, 2001, 2005, 2009), Pamir (Kirghizia, 2003; Tajikistan, 2010), Andes (Argentina, 2004), Alaska (USA, 2004), Caucasus (Russia, 2004), Tien Shan (Kazakhstan, 2007), Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania (2009).

Mountain climber with 16 summits above 5000 m (16400 ft):

2010 — Ismoil Somoni (7495 m) in Tajikistan
2010 — Korzhenevskaya (7105 m) in Tajikistan
2009 — Gasherbrum-2 (8035 m) up to 8030 m in Pakistan
2009 — Gasherbrum-1 (8068 m) in Pakistan
2009 — Margherita (5109 m) in Uganda
2009 — Mount Kenya (5199 m) in Kenya up to 5100 m
2009 — Kilimanjaro (5895 m) in Tanzania
2007 — Khan Tengri (6995 m) in Kazakhstan
2005 — K2 (8611 m) in Pakistan up to 8200 m
2004 — Elbrus (5642 m) in Russia
2004 — Denali (6195 m) in the USA
2004 — Aconcagua (6962 m) in Argentina
2003 — Lenin (7134 m) in Kirghizia
2001 — Demavend (5671 m) in Iran
2001 — Broad Peak (8047 m) up to 7300 m in Pakistan
2000 — Ararat (5137 m) in Turkey

Caver and biospeleologist with more than 350 caves and potholes in Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Croatia, Kosovo, Turkey, Romania, Montenegro and other counties, explored between 1990 and 2010.

Selected research papers

Westerstom A., B. Petrov, N. Tzankov. 2010. Envenoming following bites by the Balkan adder Vipera berus bosniensis — First documented case series from Bulgaria. — Toxicon, 56: 1510—1515 [PDF available on request].

Kerth G, B. Petrov, A. Conti, D. Anastasov, M. Weishaar, S. Gazaryan, J. Jaquiéry, B. König, N. Perrin, N. Bruyndonckx. 2008. Communally breeding Bechstein’s bats have a stable social system that is independent from the post-glacial history and location of the populations. — Molecular Ecology, 17: 2368—2381. [PDF].

Deltshev Ch., B. Petrov. 2008. The Spiders (Araneae) in the Caves of the Western Rhodope Mountains (Bulgaria). — Acta zoologica bulgarica, 60 (1): 41—50. [PDF].

Stoyanov G. P., T. Ivanova, B. P. Petrov, A. Gueorguieva. 2008. Past and Present Breeding Distribution of the Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) in Western Stara Planina and Western Predbalkan Mts. (Bulgaria). — Acta zoologica bulgarica, Suppl. 2: 119—132. [PDF].

Petrov B. 2007. Amphibians and Reptiles of Bulgaria: fauna, vertical distribution, zoogeography, and conservation. — In: V. Fet & A. Popov (eds.), Biogeography and Ecology of Bulgaria, Springer, 85—107. [PDF].

Petrov B., F. Stahlavsky. 2007. New species of pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) for the fauna of Bulgaria. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 18: 15—27. [PDF].

Petrov B. 2006. Lacerta mosorensis Kolombatovic, 1886 new to the herpetofauna of Albania. — Herpetozoa, 19 (1/2): 92—93. [PDF].

Petrov B., N. Tzankov, H. Strijbosch, G. Popgeorgiev, V. Beshkov. 2006. The herpetofauna (Amphibia & Reptilia) of the Western Rhodopes mountain (Bulgaria and Greece). — In: P. Beron (ed.). Biodiversity of Bulgaria, 3. Biodiversity of Western Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia, 863—913. [PDF].

Petrov B. 2006. Distribution and status of Myotis bechsteinii in Bulgaria (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). — Lynx n.s., Praha, 37: 179—195. [PDF].

Deltshev Ch., B. Petrov, P. Mitov. 2005. Faunistic diversity of Class Arachnida (non Acari) in Bulgaria — present state, importance and perspectives. — In Petrova, A. (ed.), Current state of Bulgarian biodiversity — problems and perspectives, Pp. 129—151, Bulgarian Bioplatphorm, Sofia [in Bulgarian, English summary]. [PDF].

Petrov B. 2004. The false scorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) of the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). — In: Beron P., Popov A. (Eds). Biodiversity of Bulgaria. 2. Biodiversity of Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia, 153—166. [PDF].

Gueorguiev B., B. Petrov. 2004. Second species of the genus Troglorrhynchus F. Schmidt (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Otiorrhynchinae) in the Bulgarian Eastern Rhodopes. — In: Beron P., Popov A. (Eds). Biodiversity of Bulgaria. 2. Biodiversity of Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia, 453—462. [PDF].

Beron P., B. Petrov, P. Stoev. 2004. The invertebrate cave fauna of the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). — In: Beron P. & Popov A. (Eds). Biodiversity of Bulgaria. 2. Biodiversity of Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia, 791—822. [PDF].

Petrov B. 2004. The herpetofauna (Amphibia and Reptilia) of the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). — In: Beron P., Popov A. (Eds). Biodiversity of Bulgaria. 2. Biodiversity of Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia, 863—879. [PDF].

Schunger I., Ch. Dietz, D. Merdschanova, S. Merdschanov, K. Christov, I. Borissov, S. Staneva, B. Petrov. 2004. Swarming of bats (Chiroptera, Mammalia) in the Vodnite Dupki Cave (Central Balkan National Park, Bulgaria). — Acta zoologica bulgarica, 56 (3): 323—330. [PDF].

Benda, P., T. Ivanova, I. Horacek, Vl. Hanak, J. Cerveny, J. Gaisler, A. Gueorguieva, B. Petrov, Vl. Vohralik. 2003. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Eastern Mediterranean. Part 3. Review of bat distribution in Bulgaria. — Acta Soc. Zool. Bohem., 67: 245—357. [PDF].

Deltshev Ch., S. Lazarov, B. Petrov. 2003. A contribution to the study of spiders (Araneae) from the caves of Bulgaria. — Acta zoologica bulgarica, 55 (2): 9—28. [PDF].

Petrov B., S. Hristova, H. Hristov. 2002. First record of the Cat snake Telescopus fallax Fleischmann, 1831 (Reptilia: Serpentes) in the Eastern Rhodopes Mt., Bulgaria. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 15, 143—146. [PDF].

Petrov B., Vl. Beshkov. 2001. Amphibians (Amphibia) and Reptiles (Reptilia) in Kresna Gorge (SW Bulgaria). — In: Beron P. (ed.) Biodiversity of Kresna Gorge, National Museum of Natural History, Institute of Zoology, 297—303. [PDF in Bulgarian, English summary].

B. Petrov. 2001. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in Kresna Gorge, SW Bulgaria. — In: Beron P. (ed.) Biodiversity of Kresna Gorge, National Museum of Natural History, Institute of Zoology, 325—330. [PDF in Bulgarian, English summary].

Petrov B. 2001. False Scorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) from Kresna Gorge, SW Bulgaria. In: Beron P. (ed.) Biodiversity of Kresna Gorge, National Museum of Natural History, Institute of Zoology, 69—73. [PDF in Bulgarian, English summary].

Petrov B., P. Stoev, Vl. Beshkov. 2001. Review of the species composition and distribution of the amphibians (Amphibia) and the reptiles (Reptilia) in the Eastern Rhodopes Mountain. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 13: 127—153. [PDF in Bulgarian, English summary].

Petrov, B., S. Lazarov. 2000. Steatoda triangulosa (Walckenaer, 1802) feeding on a European Blind snake. — Newsl., Br. Arachnol. Soc., 88: 9—10. [PDF].

Petrov B. 2000. Cheiridiidae H. J. Hansen (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones), a new family for the fauna of Bulgaria. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 11: 61—64. [PDF].

Petrov B. 1997. A review of Bulgarian pseudoscorpions (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpionida). — Proc. 16-th Europ. Coll. Arachnol., 261—269. [PDF].

Ivanova, T., P. Stoev, B. Petrov. 1995. Brachytarsina flavipenis Maquart, 1851 (Diptera, Streblidae) member of a new family for the Bulgarian fauna. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 5: 35—26. [PDF].

Selected popular papers in English

Petrov B. 2004. Research on bats in forests: sharing the experience from Bulgaria and the knowledge from Central Europe. — Eurobatchat, 11: 5. [PDF].

Petrov B. 2006. EUROBATS for the bats of Bulgaria. — Pp. 40-43. In: EUROBATS Publication Series, No 1 — 1991—2006 EUROBATS celebrates its 15th anniversary. UNEP/EUROBATS Secretariat, Bonn, Germany, 116 pp. [PDF].

Books

Petrov B. 2008. Bats — methodology for environmental impact assessment and appropriate assessment. A manual for developers, environmental experts and planning authorities. National Museum of Natural History-BAS, 88 pp. [PDF].

Petrov B., P. Stoev. 2007. The underground world of the mountain Rhodopes. — UNDP, ‘Rodope project’, 86 pp. [PDF in Bulgarian, English summary].

Interviews

Interview for magazine OBEKTI (December 2010) [PDF (In Bulgarian)].

Interview for ProBG TV (November 2010) [video (In Bulgarian)].