Environmental Factors Determinate Roadkill Levels of the Endemic Iberian Species, Iberian Hare (Lepus Granatensis)

Abstract

Lepus granatensis is an Iberian Peninsula endemic species and one of the most important small game species. We surveyed Iberian hare-vehicle accidents in roads network in southern Spain, analysing the Mediterranean landscape, the main habitats of this species. We recorded roadkill of roads during 6-month, compared hare roadkill densities to hare hunting yields. We analyzed the spatial patterns and factors that could be influencing the hare road kill. We detected blackspots of hare road kill in areas with high landscape heterogeneity and included embankments, intersections roads and high traffic intensity. The hare roadkill ranged between 6% and 41% of the annual harvest of hares killed on neighbouring hunting estates. We therefore consider it highly relevant to take into account the hare road kill, especially in hare hunting areas, suggesting to gamekeepers and managers addressing the issue of road kill of hares. It would be necessary that hunting quotas be adjusted in territories where the additive effect of these non-natural hare mortalities converge. Results point to future directions for applied research in road ecology, which would include demographic compensation and roadkill mitigation. Our methodology could be of wide use to identify lagomorphs’ road kill blackspots by analysing environmental spatial patterns.