RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Impact of myxomatosis on densities of Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) in North-western Spain: implications for management and sustainable hunting
A1 Hernández, Ó.
A1 Sánchez García, C.
A1 Tizado Morales, Emilio Jorge
A2 Zoologia
K1 Ecología. Medio ambiente
K1 Zoología
K1 Iberian hare
K1 Management
K1 Monitoring
K1 Mortality
K1 Myxoma virus
AB [ENG]Outbreaks of myxomatosis in Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) were detected for the first time in Spain in 2018. The disease spread to a significant proportion of the species range, negatively affecting the hare populations. In this study, we analyzed the impact of myxomatosis at hunting grounds of Castilla y León (Northern Spain), comparing hare density during two consecutive hunting seasons; the first when outbreaks were detected for the first time (season 1, Oct 2019-Jan 20) and the second after the spread of the disease (season 2, Oct 2020-Jan 21). Data was gathered from 1,102 hunts from 178 hunting grounds through “coursing”, a hunting type in which hunters and greyhounds search for hares, allowing the estimation of hare density. Overall, hare density decreased significantly, from 12.7 hare/100 ha in season 1 to 4.7 hare/100 ha in season 2. The percentage of hares suspected to be affected by myxomatosis (sick and dead) per hunt was higher in season 1 (14.4%) compared to season 2 (10.7%). For both seasons, this proportion was higher when hunting season was started (20.7%, October), compared to the remaining months (4.7%, November–January). However, the proportion of hunting grounds affected increased from 44% in season 1 to 66.7% in season 2. Our research confirmed a 62.7% reduction in hare density in Castilla y León after the spread of myxomatosis and identified scenarios of possible depletion when densities were below 4–5 hare/100 ha. As myxomatosis becoming endemic in Iberian hares is likely, hunters and game managers should continue current monitoring and disease surveillance and make management decisions accordingly.
PB Taylor & Francis
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10612/18176
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10612/18176
NO Hernández, Ó., Sánchez-García, y Tizado. (2022). Impact of myxomatosis on densities of Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) in North-western Spain: implications for management and sustainable hunting. European Zoological Journal, 89(1), 204-209. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2022.2037759
DS BULERIA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de León
RD 02-jun-2024