Las especies de caza en España. Biología ecología y conservación.
... Está vinculada fundamentalmente con las sueltas que se realizan en terrenos de caza menor para su aprovechamiento cinegético. Estas sueltas están destinadas a realizar cacerías inmediatas más que a promover su implantación en el territorio (Ballesteros, 1998; Juan en Martí y Del Moral, 2003), de manera que su distribución y su abundancia están condicionadas por la presencia de granjas cinegéticas y zonas de suelta próximas. Como fruto de estas sueltas, existen algunas poblaciones asilvestradas cuya distribución parece haberse consolidado y aumentado en algunas zonas. ...
... Dada su dificultad de localización en muchas ocasiones, aparecen áreas con bajos valores de probabilidad en torno a los lugares donde sí se ha localizado. El modelo de favorabilidad señala potencial de ocupación en regiones con mosaicos agroforestales en clima suave y húmedo con presencia de cursos de agua o fuentes (Lucio en Purroy, 1997;Ballesteros, 1998;Juan en Martí y Del Moral, 2003; Sazatornil y Sarda en Herrando et al., 2011). ...
... Se trata de una especie sedentaria con movimientos locales de escasa entidad (Díaz et al., 1996;Ballesteros, 1998). Los datos de aves anilladas o marcadas con emisores no evidencian movimientos significativos (Hill y Ridley, 1987;Ballesteros, 1998). ...
... Aunque de hábitos esencialmente forestales, el corzo muestra una plasticidad ecológica importante que le ha permitido adaptarse y explotar otros medios como los agrícolas y las llanuras abiertas del centro peninsular. Entre los aspectos de la biología reproductiva de esta especie cabe destacar dos características importantes: 1) la rápida adquisición de la madurez sexual que hace que los corzos se puedan reproducir durante su primer año de vida y 2) la diapausa embrionaria, que consiste en la detención del desarrollo de los óvulos ya fecundados, durante unos 170 días, y su posterior implantación, para que continúen su desarrollo, durante una gestación de 130 días (Ballesteros 1998, San José 2007. Así, tanto la plasticidad ecológica como las características demográficas de la especie han dado lugar a que el corzo sea una especie con gran éxito que se encuentra actualmente en una fase clara de expansión. ...
... Según el modelo obtenido en el presente estudio, los rendimientos cinegéticos óptimos del corzo en Andalucía están asociados principalmente a zonas con abundante precipitación situadas a baja altitud en las que la vegetación dominante está salpicada de parches de vegetación herbácea. Estos resultados concuerdan con los requerimientos de hábitat de la especie analizados a menor escala en diferentes zonas de su actual área de distribución (Ballesteros 1998, San José y Dorado 2007. El corzo ocupa preferentemente las zonas boscosas, aunque dentro de este hábitat es muy importante la presencia del estrato arbustivo y herbáceo. ...
... Así, se considera que en un buen hábitat de corzo las zonas abiertas deben ocupar entre el 5 y el 15% de la superficie forestal total (Papageorgiou 1978). Normalmente, el corzo suele utilizar los pastizales y las zonas ocupadas por herbáceas, en general, como zonas de alimentación, preferentemente en aquellas parcelas abiertas que se encuentran situadas en las proximidades de las manchas forestales en las que encuentra refugio (Ballesteros 1998, San José y Dorado 2007. ...
El corzo Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) es una especie ampliamente distribuida en España. En la mitad norte la especie es muy común, sus poblaciones son abundantes y experimenta un crecimiento constante. Por el contrario, en el sur peninsular, límite más meridional del área de distribución de la especie, las poblaciones son más pequeñas y muestran un mayor grado de aislamiento. Actualmente la conservación de esta especie cazable depende en gran parte de las medidas de gestión cinegética que se adopten para ordenar su aprovechamiento. En el presente trabajo se ha elaborado un modelo predictivo con la finalidad de delimitar las zonas más favorables para la caza del corzo en Andalucía en función de la topografía, el clima, la vegetación y los usos del suelo mediante técnicas de modelación basadas en los Modelos Lineales Generalizados (GLM) sobre la información declarada en las Memorias Anuales de Caza (MAC). Para llevar a cabo la modelación se utilizó como unidad operativa de trabajo los 771 municipios de Andalucía, aunque el modelo resultante fue reescalado para presentar los valores de favorabilidad en las cuadrículas de lxl km de Andalucía. Las áreas más favorables para la caza del corzo en la región más meridional de su área de distribución son aquellas zonas localizadas a bajas altitud, con precipitación abundante y presencia de manchas de pastizal.
... The ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is a game bird widely raised on farms in many countries for shooting, mainly in Europe and the USA (Ghigi, 1958;Delacour, 1959;Fol, 1961;Torres et al., 1995;Canning, 2005). In Spain it is an exotic species (Ballesteros, 1998) and as such its captive breeding for hunting is mainly aimed at releasing the animals for intensive 'put and take' shooting, rather than for recovery and re-establishment purposes (González-Redondo, 1997;Ballesteros, 1998). ...
... The ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is a game bird widely raised on farms in many countries for shooting, mainly in Europe and the USA (Ghigi, 1958;Delacour, 1959;Fol, 1961;Torres et al., 1995;Canning, 2005). In Spain it is an exotic species (Ballesteros, 1998) and as such its captive breeding for hunting is mainly aimed at releasing the animals for intensive 'put and take' shooting, rather than for recovery and re-establishment purposes (González-Redondo, 1997;Ballesteros, 1998). ...
... Central and southern Spain, namely the Autonomous Communities of Extremadura, Andalucía, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, and Madrid, concentrates nearly three-quarters of the pheasant farms registered (MARM, 2011) and surveyed (Table 1). This does not fit the main area of distribution of this species in the wild, which is in the northern and northeastern parts of the Iberian Peninsula (Torres et al., 1995;Ballesteros, 1998). This supports the fact that the species has successfully settled in the areas where habitat and climate fit its bioecological requirements (Ballesteros, 1998), a factor that seems to be more important than the number of animals released. ...
This research typified and characterised the pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) game farms in Spain using structural and marketing variables. A structured survey was given to 25 private-owned farms in May 2010. A categorical principal components analysis performed to typify the farms yielded two dimensions. First dimension explained 50.5% of the variance and included the variables "number of females in the breeding flock", and "the farm is of complete-cycle or not". Second dimension explained 32.3% of the variance and included the variables "age of the farm" and "the farm advertises its activity in the game press". A cluster analysis differentiated four farm typologies. Farm type I included 28% of the farms, being recent (established between 1990 and 2003), complete-cycle and medium-sized (breeding flock of 15 to 300 females), with low advertising activity in the game press and without a hunting preserve. Farm type 2 included 28% of the farms, being the most recent (established between 1994 and 2008), without breeding flock, with low advertising activity, and most have hunting preserve. Farm type 3 included 20% of the farms, being old (established between 1983 and 1992), without breeding flock and with high advertising activity; 40% of them have hunting preserve. Farm type 4 included 24% of the farms, being old (established between 1980 and 1995), complete-cycle and high-sized (breeding flock of 50 to 1,000 females), with high advertising activity; most have hunting preserve. In conclusion, this is an alternative poultry sub-sector consolidated in Spain, despite being only three decades old.
... Habitat models are useful tools for helping managers and researchers to predict the distribution or abundance of a species (Litvaitis et al. 1994; Morrison et al. 1998; Sutherland et al. 2004) although this approach has significant limitations (Seoane and Bustamante 2001; Rushton et al. 2004). We studied the red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa, an important game species that require appropriate management in Spain, where there is a strong tradition of hunting (Ballesteros 1998; Vargas et al. 2006). Data about habitat selection of this species is scarce and mainly refer to studies at the microhabitat level (Herranz et al. 2000; Lucio 1991; Nadal 2001; Fortuna 2002). ...
... Data about habitat selection of this species is scarce and mainly refer to studies at the microhabitat level (Herranz et al. 2000; Lucio 1991; Nadal 2001; Fortuna 2002). Even less information is available from the Spanish northwestern area, where natural populations are generally depleted and of low density, mainly due to poor habitat conditions and over hunting (Ballesteros 1998). The objective of this study was to contribute new data on broad scale habitat selection patterns of red-legged partridge in mountain environments, by developing multivariate analysis using presence/absence and abundance index as variable dependent (Rushton et al. 2004). ...
... However, many of these variables (trophic availability, releases of individuals reared in captivity, hunting pressure) were not considered and would be difficult to measure at the scale used, possibly even complicating the models. The environmental variables that explained the distribution and abundance of the red-legged partridge, i.e. area of scrubland-pastureland and scrub-forest edge, are partially consistent with those reported in other studies of this type in the Iberian peninsula and with the habitat requirements (Lucio and Purroy 1992; Gutiérrez 1996; Ballesteros 1998; Fortuna 2002; Blanco et al. 2003). Nevertheless, the population of red-legged partridge under study, as in a large part of the northwest of the Iberian peninsula, shows its own differentiating characteristics, such as low densities associated with mountainous areas, with scarce human presence and few cultivated areas. ...
We developed broad-scale habitat selection models for the distribution of red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa in a low-density area in northwestern Spain, the Baixa-Limia site of community importance (SCI). The fieldwork consisted
of ground surveys in 1 1 km squares. For habitat selection analysis, we used a 2 2 km grid integrating the information
obtained in the 1 1 km squares. As predictors we used environmental variables measured on digital 1:50,000 scale cartography
using a geographical information system (GIS). The red-legged partridge was scarce in the study area. The logistic regression
analysis carried out on data from the squares with probable and confirmed breeding included the area of scrubland and pastureland
with a positive sign. Using the breeding index category (BIC) three variables produced a slightly positive response: area
of scrubland and pastureland, length of border between scrublands and forests, and length of border between forests and dams.
The difficulty for modelling the habitat selection of this species could be due to human activities (hunting, habitat loss,
restocking of hunt species), and may have modified their habitat preferences. Furthermore, the occupation of suboptimal habitats
would distort the real habitat preferences.
... Calvete et al. 2004, Delibes-Mateos et al. 2008 ). Moreover, they are important game species that require appropriate management in Southern Europe, a region with a strong tradition of hunting (Ballesteros 1998). Data on the habitat selection by these species in European countries were obtained mainly from studies at the microhabitat level (Duarte 2000, Herranz et al. 2000, Caruso and Siracusa 2001, Nadal 2001, Angulo 2003, Carvalho and Gomes 2003, Virgós et al. 2003, Monzón et al. 2004, Lombardi et al. 2007 ). ...
... Data on the habitat selection by these species in European countries were obtained mainly from studies at the microhabitat level (Duarte 2000, Herranz et al. 2000, Caruso and Siracusa 2001, Nadal 2001, Angulo 2003, Carvalho and Gomes 2003, Virgós et al. 2003, Monzón et al. 2004, Lombardi et al. 2007 ). There is little information available regarding the north-western area, where natural populations are generally depleted and of low density (Carvalho and Gomes 2003, Monzón et al. 2004), mainly due to poor habitat conditions and disease (Fenner and Ross 1994, Villafuerte et al. 1995, 1998, Calvete et al. 2004). The development of a habitat suitability model for the species under study is an important step in establishing management and recovery plans (Rodríguez et al. 2007). ...
... They represented different land use (scrub-pasture area and forest area), degree of human/anthropogenic influence (area of settlements), topographic irregularity (mean altitude and mean slope) and habitat heterogeneity (scrub-forest edge), and values for each variable were determined for each 2 ´ 2 km plot studied. These independent variables were selected taking into account the habitat requirements of the two lagomorph species (Ballesteros 1998). The information related to the different environmental variables was taken from 1:50 000 digital maps with a resolution of 250´250250´250´250 m using GIS-ArcView 3.1. ...
We developed broad-scale habitat use models for the distribution of the Iberian hare Lepus granatensis Rosenhaeur, 1856 and the relative abundance of the European wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758) in a mountainous area in north-western Spain, the Baixa Limia Site of Community Importance (SCI). For the
Iberian hare, the most parsimonious model included average altitude, average slope, scrub-pasture area and length of border
between scrublands and forests. Four variables were consequential, 2 of them with a positive sign for the presence of the
hare (average altitude and scrubland area) and 2 with a negative one (average slope and length of border between scrubland
and forest). For the European wild rabbit the most parsimonious General Linear model obtained included average altitude and
scrub-forest edge. Only 2 predictors were consequential, both with a negative sign on the relative abundance of wild rabbits:
the average altitude and length of border between scrubland and forest. The models obtained indicated the need of management
actions to favour open habitats with suitable vegetation structure, avoiding extensive reforestation. A revision of the current
hunting plans in the protected area of Baixa Limia is required.
Key words
Lepus granatensis
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Oryctolagus cuniculus
-game species-habitat use-Spain
... However, scientific research concerning A. rufa eggs hatching synchrony under artificial incubation as a function of the contact regime among eggs is lacking. As a precocial bird, the red-legged partridge brood hatches synchronously in the wild in order to leave the nest quickly after hatching, as an efficient strategy to minimize predation losses [13]. Hatching synchrony is achieved in precocial phasianids through mechanisms involving sibling contact and sound emission among the embryos of the clutch [14,15]. ...
... The evolutionary explanation of the findings in this research is related to the fact that, in precocial birds, physical contact of the eggs in the nest favors communication between embryos, favoring synchronized hatching in a short period of time [15,37]. This favors the female partridge promptly leaving the nest with the nidifugous chicks even if there are eggs left unhatched [13,38], to avoid the risk of being predated, which would be increased by a dilation of the hatching time [8,39]. ...
Hatching synchrony is a desirable trait in the artificial incubation of eggs because it permits the simultaneous extraction of all the chicks from the hatcher, thus minimizing extraction queues. This study aimed at evaluating the effects on egg performance, incubation length, and hatching synchrony of different sibling contact regimes during the incubation in red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) eggs. To achieve these objectives, 196 eggs were arranged in four treatments according to the sibling eggs contact regime: (a) eggs without contact during the whole incubation process; (b) eggs in contact during the incubation phase (from day 1 to 20 of incubation); (c) eggs in contact during the hatching phase (from day 20 of incubation to hatching); (d) eggs in permanent contact throughout the incubation process (from day 1 of incubation to hatching). Development stage at embryonic mortality, hatchability, and egg weight loss during incubation were not affected, but incubation length was shortened and hatching synchrony was increased in eggs in contact during the hatching phase. The main conclusion was that keeping red-legged partridge eggs in close contact during the hatching stage in the artificial incubation does not affect hatchability but allows hatching synchrony to be maximized, facilitating the handling of 1 day old chicks.
... Aunque podrían señalarse varias características que diferencian el género Lepus del resto de Lagomorfos, se destaca que las liebres son capaces de producir crías muy desarrolladas al nacimiento, con los ojos abiertos y capacidad de movimiento a los pocos minutos del alumbramiento (Ballesteros, 1998). La liebre ibérica adulta tiene una longitud total de 50-5 cm. ...
... De ahí que los cupos estimados en los Planes de Ordenación Cinegética acaben por no respetarse y no se sepa ni el estado ni la evolución de la especie en muchísimos acotados. Por otra parte, el aumento de presión cinegética y predatoria deriva, en muchas paisaje (incorporando pequeñas franjas de terreno sin cultivar o sin segar) son las prácticas más recomendadas (Ballesteros, 1998). Aunque históricamente se ha supuesto que la liebre no aprovecha los comederos y bebederos artificiales como las perdices, conejos y otra avifauna, los estudios más recientes confirman que, en momentos puntuales del año en los que se produzcan sequías y nevadas, la liebre sacará partido de estas medidas de mejora, ampliamente utilizadas en los cotos españoles (Sánchez, 006). ...
... The area has been able to sustain wild populations of Red-legged Partridges, with higher densities in comparison to other non-managed areas of Spain (Ballesteros, 1998). Pair density in March during the study period was 17.6 in 2009, 12.1 in 2010 and 6.8 in 2011 (pairs per 100 ha) (Sánchez-García et al., 2012). ...
... However, other factors should be considered to understand the effects of shrub cover on feeding patterns. The Red-legged Partridge strategy to face the winter is to form winter coveys (10-25 mean covey size) (Ballesteros, 1998). Large group size means higher home range and the possibility of using less favourable habitats, in contrast to the behaviour in pairs and single birds (Watson et al., 2007). ...
This paper explores feeding patterns of wild Red-legged Partridges (Alectoris rufa) at artificial feeders, a common management action for game species. Feeders were studied during two consecutive periods from October 2009 to May 2011 in an agricultural area of northwest Spain.
Camera trapping was used in order to assess climatic effects on weekly feeding patterns, investigate the influence of shrub cover on feed-site selection and evaluate behavioural patterns displayed when using feeders. Red-legged partridges used feeders throughout the study period, but particularly
from December to February. No significant correlations were observed between the weekly number of photographs and climate conditions. A bimodal circadian feeding pattern was observed during daylight hours with peaks of activity in the morning and evening while, in central hours, the feeding
visits decreased. We observed significant differences in the number of partridges photographed during the feeding visits along the study period. The use of feeders was not influenced by the presence of surrounding vegetation nor type of feeder. The behavioural analysis classified partridges
in five different categories: feeding (33.5 and 32.3% for each period respectively), vigilance (26.8 and 30.7%), moving/unknown (25.9 and 20.6%), pecking/ dusting (11.2 and 15%) and other behaviours (2.8 and 1.8%). The percentage of vigilant birds photographed at feeders was not related to
the covey size. This study demonstrates the use of the feeders by Red-legged Partridges but does not prove the potential benefits.
... In each of these 314 ha areas, we calculated the proportion of the eight habitat types present in each one. In addition, we used the variables ecotone length and habitat diversity, as they are often associated with landscape preferences by the species involved in most collisions (Ballesteros 1998;Blanco 1998). Ecotone length was measured with the GIS as metres of contact lines between polygons, and the Shannon index was used for habitat diversity. ...
... In Spain, red deer, roe deer and wild boar are forest species, but their territory includes other habitats (Ballesteros 1998;Blanco 1998). In general, their territories are centred on forest patches but they forage largely in open areas, especially in the absence of human disturbance. ...
Vehicle collisions with wild animals are a serious problem that justifies the widespread application of mitigation measures such as road fencing and provision of crossing structures. Models that predict the best location for mitigation measures can improve wildlife survival and road safety.
A database of 2067 records of animal–vehicle collisions was used to create two data sets at different spatial scales. The first comprised records of road sections of 1 km length with high rates of collision in combination with road sections with a low number of collisions. The second comprised records of collision and no collision incidence at points on the road system at a 0·1‐km scale. Logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between incidence of collision and measured habitat features in each data set. The models were validated with a subset of the original data not used in developing the models.
Road sections with high collision rates were associated with areas having high forest cover, low crop cover, low numbers of buildings and high habitat diversity. The fitted model achieved a significant predictive success during validation (χ ² = 4·82, 1 d.f., P = 0·028), with more than 70% correct classification of cases.
Specific collision points typically had no guard‐rails or lateral embankments, were not near underpasses, crossroads or buildings, and featured hedges or woodland near the road. The fitted model also showed a significant predictive power in validation (64% correct classification, χ ² = 9·51, 1 d.f., P = 0·002) and accurately predicted 85·1% of collision points.
Synthesis and applications. Predictive models of animal–vehicle collision locations should be used at both a landscape level and a local scale during the process of road design and implementation of mitigation measures. Modelling of collision risk could inform decisions on road alignment and on the exact location of crossing structures for mammals, to improve wildlife survival and road safety. This is the first study integrating both landscape and local scales of analysis for the variables associated with animal–vehicle collisions.
... La respuesta es un tajante NO. Cuando se elimina un zorro viejo, su territorio pasa a ser ocupado por algo más de tres jóvenes, aumentando la densidad (Ballesteros, 1998;Ferreras, 2008). Si se siguen eliminando los zorros jóvenes, llegará un punto en que aumentará la presencia de meloncillos y otros depredadores menos deseables como perros y gatos asilvestrados. ...
La Caza ha sido una actividad consustancial a la especie humana desde sus orígenes, marcando su biología y evolución. En la actualidad, nuevas tendencias de opinión, la consideran cruel e innecesaria, convirtiéndola en objeto de controversia, constituyendo un claro exponente del conflicto latente entre una España rural y otra urbanita. En este contexto, se hace necesario hablar de CAZA RESPONSABLE desde el presente y mirando al futuro. Este libro analiza desde diversas perspectivas evolutiva, social, ética, moral, estadística, formativa y científica, la necesidad de que la caza y su gestión deben estar basada en una investigación científica que avale su sostenibilidad y garantice la conservación de nuestro medio ambiente y su biodiversidad. El medio rural y los hábitats agrícolas, constituyen la mayoría de nuestro medio natural, donde se alberga una parte sustancial de nuestra fauna, que depende directamente de la gestión que en ellos se realice. Por ello puede resultar esencial estimular y premiar mediante un reconocimiento certificado, aquella buena gestión traducida en la conservación y calidad de los valores naturales que proteja. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Hunting has been an activity inherent to the human species since its origins, marking its biology and evolution. Currently, new trends of opinion consider it cruel and unnecessary, making it an object of controversy, constituting a clear exponent of the latent conflict between a rural Spain and an urban one. In this context, it is necessary to talk about RESPONSIBLE HUNTING from the present and looking to the future. This book analyzes from various evolutionary, social, ethical, moral, statistical, educational and scientific perspectives, the need for hunting and its management to be based on scientific research that guarantees its sustainability and guarantees the conservation of our environment and its biodiversity. The rural environment and agricultural habitats constitute the majority of our natural environment, where a substantial part of our fauna is home, which depends directly on the management carried out there. For this reason, it may be essential to stimulate and reward, through certified recognition, good management translated into the conservation and quality of the natural values that it protects.
... The ability of game quail fertile eggs to maintain high viability when they are submitted to long-term storage before incubation, which coincides with what was reported in partridges [6,8,21,22], could be partly explained by the evolutionary adaptation of these steppe species to lay large clutches that remain exposed in the nest to a warm and dry environment for many days before the female begins incubation [64]. ...
Simple Summary
In alternative poultry production systems, a key aspect for the viability of the hatching egg is its storage before incubation, its management being less standardized than in intensive poultry farming. The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of the long-term storage of game farmed quail eggs by testing storage periods of up to 35 days at 15.8 °C and 80% relative humidity. It was found that the hatchability was maintained in eggs stored up to 28 days and decreased when storage was extended to 35 days. The eggs progressively lost more weight as the storage time increased, producing chicks with lower weight from eggs stored for more than 14 days and with lower relative chick weight in those stored for 35 days. The length of the incubation period increased progressively with storage time, while hatching synchrony decreased. In conclusion, if necessary for management reasons, game quail hatching eggs can be stored without relevant loss of viability for up to 28 days before incubation. The practical implications are that this ensures a long market life when hatching eggs are sold and allows small farms to collect enough eggs over an extended period to fully set an incubator.
Abstract
The long-term storage of eggs before incubation is a common practice in some alternative poultry systems but needs to be performed under conditions that preserve egg viability. The effects of the long-term storage of game farmed quail (Coturnix coturnix) eggs on weight loss during the storage and incubation periods, chick weight at hatch, hatchability, and incubation length were investigated. The eggs were arranged in six treatments submitted to 0-, 7-, 14-, 21-, 28-, and 35-day storage periods at 15.8 °C and 80% relative humidity. The storage length reduced the hatchability of eggs (p < 0.05) when the storage was extended to 35 days, decreasing by more than half compared to eggs stored up to 28 days. Egg weight loss during storage progressively increased with the storage length (p < 0.05). Chick weight at hatching was reduced in eggs stored for more than 14 days (p < 0.05), and relative chick weight decreased significantly in eggs stored for 35 days (p < 0.05). Incubation length progressively increased with the storage length (p < 0.05), achieving less hatching synchrony in eggs stored for a longer time (p < 0.05). In conclusion, game quail eggs store well with little deterioration up to 28 days at 15.8 °C and 80% relative humidity, allowing for extended storage when shipping long-shelf-life eggs or assembling batches large enough to fully set an incubator in farms with small breeding flocks.
... The hierarchy level is used for selecting feeding sites; dominant animals displace to subordinary ones to suboptimal areas (Rodríguez et al. 1997). Iberian hares are not territorial (Ballesteros 1998) but fights are frequent among males during the mating period. Fights are frequent when animals are maintained in captivity that limits the success of the intensive breeding programs. ...
... The hierarchy level is used for selecting feeding sites; dominant animals displace to subordinary ones to suboptimal areas (Rodríguez et al. 1997). Iberian hares are not territorial (Ballesteros 1998) but fights are frequent among males during the mating period. Fights are frequent when animals are maintained in captivity that limits the success of the intensive breeding programs. ...
... This increase would be positively conditioned by the decreasing number of hunters, represented by the hunting licenses registered each season (Table 2). In addition, the absence of large predators and the abandonment of rural areas also affect this population growth, together with the enormous adaptability of the wild boar, which can tolerate human pressure and live in varied territories, including those close to urban centers (Ballesteros, 1998;Mitchell-Jones et al., 1999;Azorit and Moro, 2010). ...
Trichinellosis is a notifiable zoonotic disease caused by parasitic nematode larvae belonging to the genus Trichinella. Domestic pig and wild boar are important hosts within the natural cycle of T. spiralis, the last one being an animal whose populations have experienced an important growth. Therefore, this paper studies the prevalence of Trichinella infection in wild boar in Spain, as well as its relation with hunting and its impact on public health during the period 2006–2019. For this purpose, different sources of information were consulted and analyzed depending on the autonomous communities of Spain and years. During the fourteen years of study, the number of wild boars hunted and the number of cases of Trichinella infection in them increased (from 172 cases in 2006 to 421 in 2019), although prevalence values remained low as the number of animals analyzed also increased. On the other hand, trichinellosis in humans tended to decrease (from a peak of 107 cases in 2007 to 11 cases in 2019). Nevertheless, the numbers of both wild boars and humans infected with Trichinella in Spain are among the highest in Europe, and this emphasizes the importance of food safety, sanitary controls of game meat and citizen awareness campaigns, which prevent the spread of Trichinella through the human population.
... La respuesta es un tajante NO. Cuando se elimina un zorro viejo, su territorio pasa a ser ocupado por algo más de tres jóvenes, aumentando la densidad (Ballesteros, 1998;Ferreras, 2008). Si se siguen eliminando los zorros jóvenes, llegará un punto en que aumentará la presencia de meloncillos y otros depredadores menos deseables como perros y gatos asilvestrados. ...
------------------------------------------------RESUMEN----------------------------------------------------
El capítulo resume de forma documentada los principales resultados, conclusiones y recomendaciones obtenidos para nuestra investigación aplicada a la gestión de especies de caza.
La caza desde su origen ha ido evolucionando a lo largo de los siglos, cambiando en sus formas y objetivos, adaptándose al uso y perfeccionamiento de técnicas e instrumentos (armas) y a la abundancia de las poblaciones de las especies presa. Desde mediados del siglo pasado y en la actualidad, no se puede concebir la caza sin una gestión sostenible del medio y de las especies susceptibles de aprovechamiento cinegético. Esta gestión debe estar sustentada en unos conocimientos científicos sobre ecología y dinámica de poblaciones y de su estatus, que no solo garanticen su conservación, sino su posible aprovechamiento sostenible. Se muestran diferentes ejemplos de las aportaciones que, partiendo del estudio y análisis científico, nuestro grupo de investigación, pionero en este campo en España, ha puesto como herramienta de conocimiento, al servicio de una gestión sostenible de la caza tanto para la administración como para el gestor cinegético privado.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Evolución de la caza, Ciervo, Cervus elaphus, Jabalí, Sus scrofa, Becada, Scolopax rusticola, Tórtola Europea, Streptopelia turtur, Tórtola turca, Streptopelia decaocto, Conejo, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Mesocarnívoros, depredadores terrestres
--------------------------------------------------SUMMARY-------------------------------------------------
The chapter summarizes in a documented way the main results, conclusions and recommendations obtained for our research applied to the management of game species.
Hunting since its origin has evolved over the centuries, changing its forms and objectives, adapting to the use and improvement of techniques and instruments (weapons) and the abundance of populations of prey species. Since the middle of the last century and at present, hunting cannot be conceived without sustainable management of the environment and of the species susceptible to hunting. This must be supported on scientific knowledge about ecology and population dynamics and their status, which not only guarantee their conservation, but also their possible sustainable use. Different examples of the contributions are shown that, based on the study and scientific analysis, our research group, pioneer in this field in Spain, has put as a knowledge tool, at the service of a sustentable game management for both, the administration and the private game manager.
KEY WORDS: Game evolution, red deer, Cervus elaphus, wild boar, Sus scrofa, woodcock, Scolopax rusticola, European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur, collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto, Rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Mesocarnivores, terrestrial predators
... The red fox is a generalist predator with a wide distribution and a high ecological plasticity (Dell'Arte et al., 2007), being able to feed on ample trophic resources, as small prey, carrion and garbage. This wild canid is present in a wide range of habitats in the Iberian Peninsula (Ballesteros, 1998;Gortázar, 2007;Jiménez et al., 2012), with densities of 0.7-2.5 foxes/Km 2 , depending on environmental conditions (Gortázar et al., 1998;Sarmento et al., 2009). ...
This is the first study describing the epidemiology of Spirocerca vulpis after its description as a new species in 2018. During the period 2006–2013, a total of 286 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the Valencian Community (southeast Spain) were necropsied. Based on data collected, S. vulpis prevalence and intensity were calculated, as well as the spatial distribution of this nematode. Influence of host (sex and age) and environmental factors on S. vulpis occurrence was evaluated. MAXENT software was used to model and predict the parasite distribution. Continuous and discrete prediction maps were built using ArcMap 10.6. The prevalence of S. vulpis was 22% (63/286; 95% CI: 17.4–27.3), and the median intensity was 5 (IQR 11) nematode specimens. No significant difference in term of intensity was found between males and females; regarding the host age, S. vulpis was found only in adult foxes, with the exception of one juvenile individual. The distribution of S. vulpis in foxes was skewed to the left, highlighting that parasite infection affects few individuals within a population, with parasitized animals being responsible to maintain the infection at the population level. The majority of parasitized foxes had a parasite burden lower than eight parasites/individual. S. vulpis distribution in Valencian Community presents sharply defined areas in which there are optimal environmental conditions for maintaining the life cycle of this parasite. Climatic variables and altitude are the main factors influencing the parasite presence. Our results indicate that S. vulpis has epidemiological characteristics similar to those of S. lupi and, therefore, based on the phylogenetic proximity of both nematode species, it is likely that coprophagous beetle species might play a key epidemiological role in the maintenance of this newly described Spirocerca species. Moreover, it is currently unknown if S. vulpis can infect the dog and other wild canid species apart from the red fox and, if so, what are the pathogenic effects on these host species. Therefore, it is necessary to continue investigating the epidemiology of this parasite in order to know the range of appropriate host species. This information will enable to know if S. vulpis endemic areas should be considered as health risk points for dogs, especially for the most exposed, such as those living in rural areas, and hunting dogs.
... In this cage, the four males could not see each other, but the female was located in a central space from where it was possible to have visual contact with them through the wire mesh, being food and water provided ad libitum (see Alonso et al., 2008). We ensured that males had legs spurs, absent in some young males and the majority of females (Ballesteros, 1998). Following the behaviour of wild partridges from the same area (V. ...
In some gamebirds reared for shooting purposes, it has been demonstrated that free pairing and enriched environment may improve welfare. However, the effects of free pairing on the laying output of birds kept in commercial laying cages are poorly understood. Thus, the effects of free pairing on egg production were assessed in red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) kept in commercial laying cages (area of 0.45m² and volume of 0.18m³). Between 2006 and 2007, we evaluated the laying output in two types of pairs: forced (n =24), where one male and one female were randomly chosen, and free (n =21), where the female chose between four males. Compared to forced pairs, free pairs laid the first egg 22days earlier and 50% of the clutch was laid 11.6days earlier. However, no significant differences in the quality of eggs or laying were found between forced and free pairs, resulting in length of laying of 76.5 days, clutch size of 39.5 eggs, 95.8% of fertility and 61.0% of hatchability of fertile eggs. Also, testosterone levels in eggs were not affected by the type of pair. We therefore recommend incorporating free pairing methods in commercial laying cages, as allowing natural reproductive behaviour has no negative effects on laying output and improves partridge welfare.
... Ambos os factores poderão resultar numa pressão acrescida sobre as espécies cinegéticas, e, consequentemente, num aumento de pedidos de acções de correcção de densidade. Tratando-se de espécies oportunistas que exibem diversos mecanismos compensatórios de mortalidade, o seu controle dependerá, essencialmente, da manutenção de taxas de capturas elevadas e constantes conduzidas durante longos períodos de tempo e em áreas de grande dimensão(Ballesteros, 1998).A gestão das populações de raposa e sacarrabos, bem como da restante comunidade de carnívoros do PNSACV, requer, assim, um estudo de carácter científico multidisciplinar, a longo prazo, que deverá ser assegurado com a colaboração estreita das associações de caçadores. É fundamental que os resultados obtidos sejam divulgados regularmente de forma a demonstrar com rigor a importância da obtenção de informação relativa à biologia destas espécies a nível local e do seu potencial contributo para uma gestão sustentada destes recursos. ...
... El control de depredadores es, de hecho, la medida más usada por los acotados para tratar de recuperar el conejo silvestre y la caza menor en general, pero los mismos gestores la valoran como poco eficaz (Hidalgo de Trucios et al., 2004). Dicha medida se suele aplicar de forma indiscriminada y resulta contraproducente en la mayoría de los casos, al favorecer la proliferación de individuos de rango inferior en el territorio ocupado previamente por un solo adulto pero jerarca superior (Ballesteros, 1998) como ya indicamos con anterioridad. ...
La caza menor siempre ha estado ligada a la agricultura, dependiendo en buena parte de los recursos que ésta
genera. En Andalucía, la mayor parte de los terrenos dedicados a caza menor corresponden a zonas agrícolas,
generalmente dedicadas al cultivo extensivo de secano. La evolución reciente de la agricultura, bajo la influencia
de la PAC, ha tenido dos tendencias, ambas de efectos negativos: por un lado la intensificación, y por otro, el abandono de las tierras de cultivo. Al margen de los problemas derivados de los cambios en los usos de la tierra, la caza menor se enfrenta a problemas graves derivados de la mala situación del conejo de monte que ha repercutido incrementando la presión de depredación y de la caza sobre otras especies. En cualquier caso, en la situación agrícola actual, la caza menor supone una alternativa importante en la frágil economía agraria. La gestión de la caza cobra especial importancia en estos medios muy degradados por el hombre. Se analizan los requerimientos de las dos principales especies de la caza menor (conejo y perdiz roja) comprobando que se pueden sintetizar en refugio y alimento. También se pone en evidencia la gran dependencia de la tórtola común respecto a los cultivos de cereal de secano. En cuanto a la gestión, en general, es mejor optar por medidas indirectas a aplicar sobre los hábitat que las directas sobre las especies, que resultan ser poco eficaces según la propia valoración de los gestores. La importancia del hábitat en la gestión reside en que de éste y de su estructura y características dependen directamente los dos principales factores que afectan a la fauna menor: el refugio y el alimento. En cualquier caso se debe tener en cuenta que una gestión tendente a incrementar la capacidad de acogida del hábitat, puede resultar inoperante si no existen unos niveles de población mínimos. En este caso se debería actuar con medidas directasque favorezcan el incremento de efectivos, previo a la aplicación de medidas de mejora de hábitat. Finalmente se enumeran las prácticas de gestión aconsejables en medios agrícolas. Estas prácticas tratan de incrementar la diversidad del hábitat y proporcionar refugio y alimento a las especies de caza y fauna asociada.
... T61 (0.5-1 mL/animal) was then employed for their euthanasia and animals were necropsied to observe macroscopic lesions compatible with subclinical infections. In addition, information on the gender (determined by observing the external genitalia) and age (established based on the presence of cartilage conjunction in the ulna of the forelegs (Ballesteros 1998) was collected in 192 (88.5%) of the 217 rabbits (55 male and 137 female, 72 young and 120 adult) and in 64 (91.4%) of the 70 hares (31 male and 33 female, 23 young and 41 adult). ...
Leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania infantum, is a vector-borne zoonotic disease that is endemic to the Mediterranean basin. The potential of rabbits and hares to serve as competent reservoirs for the disease has recently been demonstrated, although assessment of the importance of their role on disease dynamics is hampered by the absence of quantitative knowledge on the accuracy of diagnostic techniques in these species. A Bayesian latent-class model was used here to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the Immuno-fluores-cence antibody test (IFAT) in serum and a Leishmania-nested PCR (Ln-PCR) in skin for samples collected from 217 rabbits and 70 hares from two different populations in the region of Madrid, Spain. A two-population model, assuming conditional independence between test results and incorporating prior information on the performance of the tests in other animal species obtained from the literature, was used. Two alternative cutoff values were assumed for the interpretation of the IFAT results: 1/50 for conservative and 1/25 for sensitive interpretation. Results suggest that sensitivity and specificity of the IFAT were around 70–80%, whereas the Ln-PCR was highly specific (96%) but had a limited sensitivity (28.9% applying the conservative interpretation and 21.3% with the sensitive one). Prevalence was higher in the rabbit population (50.5% and 72.6%, for the conservative and sensitive interpretation, respectively) than in hares (6.7% and 13.2%). Our results demonstrate that the IFAT may be a useful screening tool for diagnosis of leishmaniasis in rabbits and hares. These results will help to design and implement surveillance programmes in wild species, with the ultimate objective of early detecting and preventing incursions of the disease into domestic and human populations.
... Además de la acción del hombre, la abundancia de predadores en un espacio territorial cada vez más restringido y transformado puede propiciar una importante reducción de la disponibilidad de hábitat para esta especie. Los resultados de estudios como el presente pueden servir para mejorar los planes de gestión de dicha especie en el parque (Ballesteros, 1998; Angulo y Villafuerte, 2003 ) y permitir a los gestores de los cotos de caza una toma de decisiones rápida y efectiva (Stoate et al., 2004; Belenguer et al., 2011). El objetivo principal de este trabajo es realizar una caracterización de los aspectos ecológicos y la distribución del arruí en el Parque Natural de la Sierra de Mariola mediante el uso del trampeo fotográfico, una técnica que resulta ser inocua , fiable y barata. ...
El principal objetivo de esta investigación es conocer aspectos ecológicos y distribución del arruí — Ammotragus lervia (Pallas, 1777)— dentro de la sierra de Mariola. El área de estudio es un parque natural de 17.500 hectáreas situado en el sur de la Comunidad Valenciana. Un mejor conocimiento de su distribución será de interés para la definición de medidas de gestión de fauna del parque. En 2009, utilizando técnicas de trampeo fotográfico, se recopilaron 29.941 imágenes con algún contacto animal. De estas imágenes, el 0,09% de las fotografías registradas son de arruí y se ha detectado su presencia en 7 de las 63 cuadrículas (2 × 2 km) del Parque Natural de la Sierra de Mariola (el 11,11%). El periodo de muestreo se prolongó desde agosto de 2008 hasta mayo de 2010. Este estudio ha permitido integrar la información recopilada en campo con las bases de datos existentes para confirmar la colonización y la expansión del arruí en la sierra de Mariola.
... cáscara de unos polluelos a otros (Setién, 1991). En efecto, en aves precociales como es la perdiz roja se sabe que el contacto físico de los huevos en el nido propicia la comunicación entre embriones que favorece la eclosión sincronizada en un corto lapso de tiempo (Davies y Cooke, 1983;Persson y Andersson, 1999) para permitir que la hembra abandone rápidamente el nido junto con sus pollos nidífugos aunque queden huevos sin eclosionar (Bjärvall, 1968;Ballesteros, 1998) como estrategia para evitar el riesgo de predación que comportaría permanecer durante mucho tiempo en el nido como ocurriría si la eclosión se dilatase más en el tiempo (Potts, 1980). Salvo en el caso del ensayo 2, la curva de eclosión de huevos de perdiz roja incubados artificialmente se caracterizó por ser asimétrica positiva (g 1 > 0) y leptocúrtica (g 2 > 0) (SPSS Inc., 2006). ...
The artificial incubation of the eggs is a key management phase for the feasibility of the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) game farms. However, the length of the artificial incubation and the spreading pattern of the hatching have not been previously quantified in this species. To this end, four trials of artificial incubation of eggs from three red-legged partridge game farms located in southern Spain were analised. The trials included a wide range of variability with regard to management of breeders and incubation process. The average length of the incubation period was 23.4 days, with differences among trials (P = 0,004), showing a modal value of 23 days. Most of the chicks (percentile 95) hatched before 24.5 days of incubation. The distribution of the hatch was leptokurtic and showed positive asymmetry, fitting with the hatching pattern of the precocial species. The hatching, that can start on day 21.5 and finish on day 26 of incubation, were spread over four days on average. This period was longer than that described in the informative literature, probably because in the present study the eggs were not in contact with each other, which could have limited the hatching synchrony. The results of the present study are useful to understand the distribution of hatching in the red-legged game farms, enabling improved management of the batches of eggs in the hatchery.
... En España, una de las aves típicas que se suele encontrar de manera natural en las zonas de cultivos es la codorniz (Coturnix coturnix), la cual es un ave granívora frecuente en la campiña andaluza que ocupa gran variedad de hábitats (Ballesteros, 1998). No se ha encontrado ningún con la agroecología de algunas semillas de especies arvenses frecuentes en los cultivos mediterráneos. ...
... For bird species with high reproductive capacity, abundance in early fall may depend strongly on variations in reproductive success, so the evaluation of reproductive success could be a good indicator of the autumn abundance and therefore the individuals available for the next hunting season (Ballesteros 1998). Weather conditions have a considerable influence on reproduction and population dynamics of many birds (Elkins 1983;Lucio 1990;Little et al. 1996;Puigcerver et al. 1999;Hogstad et al. 2003), including the woodcock. ...
The sustainable use of natural resources such as game animals requires adjusting extraction to changes in population abundance. Population abundance monitoring is thus necessary to ensure an adaptive management, but this can be difficult in the case of migratory species where breeding areas are in remote places without local monitoring programs. Predictive models of the winter abundance based in the relation between climate and reproduction success or survival could be a useful alternative to monitoring networks in the breeding areas. In this paper, we evaluate the role of weather variables as indicators of winter abundance estimates. We used Game Abundance Indices (total number of woodcock observed during hunting days, divided by the number of hunting hours), collected by volunteer hunters during 21 seasons, and temperature, rainfall and number of days with snow, calculated in May, June and July in the breeding areas and December to January in the winter areas. The best models explaining variations in winter abundance included number of rainy days in May and June and temperature in July as explanatory variables. All variables were positively correlated with abundance except temperature in July. The predictive quality of the best model based on a leave-one-out cross-validation procedure (i.e. the Pearson correlation coefficient between observed values and LOO-predicted values) was 0.76. We discuss the applications of this predictive model to develop an adaptive hunting management scheme for the species.
... Rabbits were transported to the lab within the first five hours after their capture and were necropsied to observe macroscopic lesions compatible with subclinical infections. In addition information on the sex (determined by observing the external genitalia) and age (established based on the presence of cartilage conjunction in the ulna of the forelegs [28]) was available in 44 of the 69 animals (16 male and 28 female, 18 young, and 26 adult rabbits). ...
Leishmaniasis is one of the most important neglected zoonosis and remains endemic in at least 88 developing countries in the world. In addition, anthropogenic environmental changes in urban areas are leading to its emergency world wide. Zoonotic leishmaniasis control might only be achieved by an integrated approach targeting both the human host and the animal reservoirs, which in certain sylvatic cycles are yet to be identified. Recently, hares have been pointed out as competent reservoirs of Leishmania infantum in Spain, but the role of other lagomorphs has not been clarified. Here, 69 rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from a natural area in Madrid in which a high density was present were analyzed using indirect (immunofluorescence antibody test, IFAT) and direct (PCR, culture) techniques. Fifty-seven (82.6%) of the animals were positive to at least one technique, with IFAT yielding the highest proportion of positive samples. L. infantum was isolated in 13% animals demonstrating the occurrence of infection in this setting. Our results suggest that rabbits could play a role of competent reservoir of L. infantum and demonstrate that the prevalence of infection is high in the analyzed area.
... and Corsica, (2) A. r. hispanica (Seoane 1894) in North and West Iberian Peninsula and (3) A. r. intercedens (Brehm 1857) in South and East Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands (Cramp and Simmons 1980). Partridge subspecies are delimited by subtle morphological differences (Cramp and Simmons 1980); therefore, their existence is controversial. Ballesteros (1998) suggested there is no genetic difference, but Ponz (2003) pointed out there might be biometric differences between them. Interestingly , the Corsican A. r. rufa population was found to be the most diverging one in the genetic scenario of the species in Barbanera et al. (2011). This population was formerly recognized as A. r. corsa subsp ...
A phylogeographic analysis of the control region of mitochondrial DNA was done in 346 individuals of the red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa (Linnaeus 1758), sampled throughout the species distribution range. The analysis indicated that there is no distinct intraspecific phylogeographical structure, in contrast to earlier studies with lower number of samples. The results are not in accord with the expected distribution of three A.rufa subspecies based on morphological characters (A.r.rufa, A.r.intercedens and A.r.hispanica). The results do not provide statistical support for the five groups (or management units) proposed in some earlier papers because the variation within populations is greater than that found among populations. The absence of a population structure might be a consequence of management activity, consisting of release into the field of individuals bred in farms with no control of their genetic identity and geographic origin. Only the north-west Iberian populations show a weak population structure, suggesting that A.r.hispanica may have suffered less human influence.
... For each nest, we counted the number of eggs in the clutch. We used an egg-laying interval of 1.5 days and a mean incubation time of 24 days taken from the literature to calculate hatching dates (Green 1984, Peiró and Seva 1993, Ballesteros 1998. We estimated the date of the start of incubation by subtracting 24 days from the observed hatching date. ...
The red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) is abundant in a number of regions in Spain and one of the most commonly hunted small game species in the country. Partridge hunting generates substantial income in rural areas where agriculture is less profitable. A traditional hunting method, reclamo hunting, is currently under revision by the European Commission's (EC) Birds Directive because hunting may fall within the reproduction period of the species. So far, only limited data on the reproductive phenology of the species exist to inform a policy change. In this study, we present reproduction data for red-legged partridges from 9 hunting estates in Andalusia during 1 year, and over 3 consecutive seasons from a control estate. We used direct nest and partridge chick covey observations to estimate 165 egg-laying dates. We found significant differences between sites related to altitude during reproduction periods. Using our pooled data, we showed that reproduction occurred between the last 10 days in January and the middle of February; beyond 31 January we observed an exponential increase in birds reproduction. According to these data and current EC legislation, reclamo hunting should not extend beyond 31 January.
... Esta especie ocupa en Extremadura preferentemente superficies forestales arboladas, tal y como sucede en otras zonas de España, donde la densidad en estas zonas puede ser hasta cuatro veces superior a la obtenida en zonas desarboladas (Arroyo y Tellería, 1984;Garnica y Becares, 1985;Díaz et al., 1996;Sánchez, 1991). Según Ballesteros (1998) la Becada selecciona básicamente este tipo de hábitat arbolado porque le proporciona mayor protección frente a predadores. En este sentido, las superficies arboladas pueden servir de refugio durante el día, pasando a alimentarse en los claros del bosque, prados y pastizales cercanos durante la noche. ...
... 168 M.A ´ . arid weather characterised by warm winters, and altitude is considered a limiting factor for this species (Ballesteros 1998, but see Flux 2001). Orography is the most important factor explaining the distribution of good hunting yields in Andalusia. ...
In this work we used the information of the Annual Hunting Reports (AHRs) to obtain a high‐resolution model of the potential favourableness for wild rabbit harvesting in Andalusia (southern Spain), using environmental and land‐use variables as predictors. We analysed 32,134 AHRs from the period 1993/2001 reported by 6049 game estates to estimate the average hunting yields of wild rabbit in each Andalusian municipality (n = 771). We modelled the favourableness for obtaining good hunting yields using stepwise logistic regression on a set of climatic, orographical, land use, and vegetation variables. The favourability equation was used to create a downscaled image representing the favourableness of obtaining good hunting yields for the wild rabbit in 1×1 km squares in Andalusia, using the Idrisi Image Calculator. The variables that affected hunting yields of wild rabbit were altitude, dry wood crops (mainly olive groves, almond groves, and vineyards), temperature, pasture, slope, and annual number of frost days. The 1×1 km squares with high favourableness values are scattered throughout the territory, which seems to be caused mainly by the effect of vegetation. Finally, we obtained quality categories for the territory by combining the probability values given by logistic regression with those of the environmental favourability function.
... Hoy en día la caza del conejo en la Península Ibérica es una actividad deportiva que mueve una cantidad de dinero importante (Angulo, 2003;Angulo y Villafuerte, 2003). El conejo está considerado, junto a la perdiz roja (Alectoris rufa), una de las principales piezas de caza menor en la Península Ibérica (Ballesteros, 1998 ...
En este trabajo se presenta una revisión del papel del conejo como especie clave en algunos ecosistemas mediterráneos de la Península Ibérica. Por un lado, el conejo constituye una presa importante para más de 40 depredadores, entre los que destacan el lince ibérico (Lynx pardinus) y el águila imperial ibérica (Aquila adalberti). Por otro lado, los conejos, a través del pastoreo y la dispersión de semillas, alteran la composición de especies vegetales, creando áreas abiertas en el matorral y contribuyendo a la diversidad de plantas. Además, las madrigueras de conejo sirven de refugio para numerosas especies de vertebrados e invertebrados y ejercen una notable influencia sobre la composición florística de la vegetación herbácea. Por último, las letrinas de los conejos no sólo tienen un efecto considerable en la fertilidad del suelo y, por tanto, en el crecimiento de la vegetación, sino que también sirven de áreas de alimentación para numerosos invertebrados. Esta multiplicidad de facetas relevantes convierten al conejo en una especie clave, cuya recuperación debería ser una prioridad para la
conservación de la biodiversidad en la Península Ibérica.
RESUMEN. La Liebre Ibérica (Lepus granatensis) es una de las principales especies cinegéticas en España. Presenta una amplia distribución y poblaciones estables en casi la totalidad del territorio. En Galicia, en los últimos años, factores como la modificación del hábitat, el aumento en la presión de caza y la construcción de infraestructuras viales han venido afectando a muchas poblaciones, llevando a la especie a una reducción e inclusive desaparición en algunas zonas atlánticas. La acelerada modificación de los hábitats naturales ha obligado a la especie a ocupar nuevos territorios, no existiendo actualmente información sobre la forma en la que el animal responde a estos nuevos medios. Es el caso de una población de Liebre Ibérica que habita en la Escombrera Exterior del Yacimiento Minero de Meirama (A Coruña), zona sometida a un proceso de restauración vegetal. En este trabajo se pretende evaluar la dinámica espacial de Lepus granatensis bajo las condiciones particulares de la escombrera. Para tal fin, se radio-marcaron 8 ejemplares que fueron seguidos durante 18 meses, en jornadas de las 18:00 a 08:00 horas, cada 10 días. Se registraron 1671 rumbos que generaron 547 localizaciones. Los resultados de rango de acción, área núcleo y superposición, fueron analizados por medio de pruebas de Anova de medidas repetidas, rangos asignados de Wilcoxon, Chi-cuadrado, Bonferroni y t. Los análisis muestran que los terrenos restaurados con coníferas fueron seleccionados por las liebres por encima de los hábitats con características más cercanas a los naturales. El rango de acción descrito (24 ha) es inferior al encontrado en otros estudios en la península ibérica. La heterogeneidad vegetal, la importante fuente de alimentación que representan los retoños de pinos y eucaliptos y la gran disponibilidad de encames, son la base para que en estos nuevos hábitats pueda mantenerse una población viable y estable de Liebre Ibérica.ABSTRACT. The Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) is one of the primary game species in Spain, has a wide distribution and stable populations in almost the entire territory. In Galicia, in recent years, factors such as habitat modification, increased hunting pressure and the construction of road infrastructure have been affecting many populations; therefore, the species has been reduced and even has disappeared being reduced and even disappeared in some Atlantic areas. Rapid modification of natural habitats has forced the species to occupy new territories, there is currently no information on how the animal responds to these new media. This is the case in a population of Iberian hare, inhabiting Foreign Mining Dump Reservoir Meirama (A Coruña), an area under vegetation restoration process. This work aims to assess the spatial dynamics of Lepus granatensis, under the particular conditions of the dump. To fulfill this aim, 8 specimens were radio-marked and followed during 18 months in nocturnal journeys from the 18:00 to the 8:00 hours, every 10 days. We registered 1671 paths which generated 547 locations. The results of action range, core area, and overlap, were analyzed through testing of repeated measures ANOVA, Wilcoxon assigned ranks, Chi-square, and Bonferroni t. Analyses show that the land restored with conifers was selected by hares were selected by Hare above habitats closer to natural features. The range of action described (24 ha) is smaller than those found in other studies in the Iberian Peninsula. The plant heterogeneity, the major food source represented the shoots of pine and eucalyptus trees, and the wide availability of beds, are the basis that may allow these new habitats to sustain a viable and stable a viable and stable Iberian hare population.
Goat arrival to Mallorca is recorded within 2300-2050 cal BC, by human introduction, as is the case for all the other taxa belonging to the genera Capra and Ovis in the Mediterranean islands. Currently, a geographically fragmented population is known in the Serra de Tramuntana which roughly corresponds to what hunters and farmers name "Mallorcan" or "fina" goat, which develops its biological cycle without human intervention. From a historic point of view, the presence of completely wild populations near to this morphology is recorded in Tramuntana and in the Serres de Llevant, where they were hunted, but they were also secondarily used as a genetic resource for herding, as was for the agrimi in Crete, through the capture of alive specimens with the traditional hunting system with dogs and tie, which still remains today. Morphologic characters, genetic data, and ecologic and reproductive evidence allow to distinguish the Mallorcan wild goat from the feral domestic ones, although a considerable proportion of hybrid specimens endanger this taxon, which has disappeared in the greater part of its possible original distribution area. Morphologically, the Mallorcan wild goat is homogeneous and, against all the other domestic goats from the groups considered in the Mediterranean framework, displays only one phenotypic manifestation for the visible genetic characters, which is the expected one for a wild caprine. The genetic study based on 25 microsatellites shows Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and a well defined genetic identity, with differs from the feral goats of domestic origin, as well as from the 12 groups of domestic and natural caprines comparatively studied. Iberian and Crete goats shows the lesser genetic distance, which indicates a Mediterranean origin and seems to preclude a north African one. The feral domestic population present in Serra de Tramuntana is genetically heterogeneous and do not show genetic equilibrium. The true biologic entity of the Mallorcan wild goat has been masked by the consideration of the wild populations as a herding genetic resource, due to the easier human perception of the autochthonous race concept, despite being rather ambiguous, and the taxa difficult management, herding unproductive nature and the lack of a proper exploitation criteria in its natural habitat. Given its ecologic and biodiversity significance, and for an efficiency in management and conservation, caprines, ovines and bovines early feralised in insular environments after the introduction by humans need a taxonomic revision under unified criteria. In Mallorca, a normative development which takes into account this reality is a priority, as well as hunting dispositions appropriate to avoid hybridisation, overpopulation, vegetation damage, and to recover the Mallorcan wild goat, which shows great potential as a quality hunting resource. On the other hand, a very strict control of domestic goats is needed, as well as its movements among different land properties.
We model the occurrence of European wild rabbit in fragmented environments in a mountainous area of northwestern Spain (Gerês–Xurés Biosphere Reserve). We carried out a field survey by sampling the presence/absence of pellets in 237 plots (100 × 100 m) selected at random below an altitude of 800 m. For modelling purposes, we considered eight predictors related to vegetation, topography, human influence and heterogeneity. We obtained vegetation and ecological predictors from land use/land cover maps derived from Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus images (acquired at the same time as the field data) and calculated vegetation indices by using a supervised classification method. We obtained topographical predictors from a Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) and used a generalized linear model to describe the occurrence of the European wild rabbit. The overall accuracy of the Landsat-derived map in Baixa Limia was 87.51 %, and the kappa coefficient was 0.85. The most parsimonious model included “grassland and crops”, “mean slope”, “distance to roads”, “urban settlements” and “ecotone scrubland-forest”. Five predictors were consequential, three of them with a positive sign for the presence of the species (scrub, urban settlements and ecotone scrubland-forest) and two with a negative sign (mean slope and distance to roads). The information on habitat requirements of European wild rabbit in the area provides a good framework for determining the habitat requirements of this keystone species in mountainous ecosystems in northwestern Iberian Peninsula.
Quiroz, J. 2005. La cabra salvaje mallorquina: origen, genética, morfología, notas ecológicas e implicaciones taxonó-micas. Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Balears, 48: 121-151. ISSN 0212-260X. Palma de Mallorca. La llegada de la cabra a Mallorca se encuentra documentada entre 2300 y 2050 cal BC, por introducción antrópica, al igual que el resto de representantes de los géneros Capra y Ovis de las islas del Mediterráneo. En el momento actual se reconoce en la Sierra de Tramuntana una población geográficamente fragmentada que coincide a grandes rasgos con lo que agriculto-res y cazadores denominan cabra "mallorquina" o "fina", la cual desarrolla su ciclo biológi-co sin intervención humana. Históricamente se ha documentado la presencia de poblaciones totalmente salvajes próximas a dicha morfología en Tramuntana y en las Serres de Llevant, las cuales eran cazadas, pero también han servido como recurso genético para la ganadería, al igual que el agrimi en Creta, gracias a la captura de ejemplares vivos con la modalidad tra-dicional de perros y lazo, la cual perdura hoy en día. Los caracteres morfológicos, los datos genéticos, y las evidencias ecológicas y reproductivas permiten separar la cabra salvaje mallorquina de las cabras domésticas asilvestradas, aunque detectándose una proporción apreciable de individuos híbridos que ponen en peligro este taxón, el cual ha desaparecido en gran parte de su posible área original. Morfológicamente, la cabra salvaje mallorquina es uni-forme, y a diferencia de las cabras domésticas de las agrupaciones consideradas en el marco del Mediterráneo, no presenta más que una manifestación fenotípica para los caracteres gené-ticos visibles, la cual es, en todos los casos en los que ha sido posible interpretarlas, la espe-rada en un caprino salvaje. No obstante, presenta algunos caracteres derivados que atestiguan su origen e interacciones antrópicas. El estudio efectuado sobre 25 microsatélites indica que presenta equilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg y que se encuentra bien definida genéticamente, sien-do diferenciable de las cabras asilvestradas de origen doméstico y naturales estudiadas como comparación. Las menores distancias genéticas se encuentran con cabras ibéricas y con la cabra de Creta, cosa que indica un origen mediterráneo y parece descartar el norteafricano. Contrariamente, la población doméstica asilvestrada presente en la Serra de Tramuntana no es homogénea genéticamente y no se encuentra en equilibrio genético. La verdadera entidad biológica de la cabra salvaje mallorquina ha quedado enmascarada al suponer las poblacio-nes salvajes un recurso genético de interés ganadero, y al ser el concepto de raza autóctona más laxo y próximo a la percepción humana, todo ello a pesar de la dificultad de manejo, la improductividad en términos ganaderos y la impropiedad de la gestión en sus hábitats natu-rales por esta vía. A la luz de su papel ecológico y en términos de biodiversidad, y por razo-nes de eficacia de gestión y conservación, los caprinos, ovinos y bovinos de introducción antrópica asilvestrados ancestralmente en ambientes insulares necesitan una revisión taxonó-mica bajo criterio unificado. En Mallorca, es urgente un desarrollo normativo ajustado a esta realidad, y una ordenación de la caza apropiada para combatir la hibridación, la sobrepobla-ción, el daño en la vegetación y para recuperar la cabra salvaje mallorquina, la cual atesora un gran potencial cinegético. Por otra parte, se requiere un control estricto del rebaño domés-tico y de los flujos ganaderos entre fincas. Palabras clave: Mallorca, Caprinae, fauna antrópica, biodiversidad, ecología insular, ges-tión cinegética.
The red-legged partridge is a small game species widely hunted in southern Spain. Its commercial use has important socioeconomic effects in rural areas where other agrarian uses are of marginal importance. The aims of the present work were to identify areas in Andalusia (southern Spain) where game yields for the red-legged partridge reach high values and to establish the environmental and land use factors that determine them. We analysed 32,134 annual hunting reports (HRs) produced by 6,049 game estates during the hunting seasons 1993/1994 to 2001/2002 to estimate the average hunting yields of red-legged partridge in each Andalusian municipality (n=771). We modelled the favourability for obtaining good hunting yields using stepwise logistic regression on a set of climatic, topographical, land use and vegetation variables that were available as digital coverages or tabular data applied to municipalities. Good hunting yields occur mainly in plain areas located in the Guadalquivir valley, at the bottom of Betic Range and in the Betic depressions. Favourable areas are related to highly mechanised, low-elevation areas mainly dedicated to intensive dry crops. The most favourable areas predicted by our model are mainly located in the Guadalquivir valley.
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