Roe deer reintroduction in central Portugal: a tool for Iberian wolf conservation

Abstract

Species reintroduction is an increasingly important tool for species recovery programs and habitat restoration initiatives worldwide. Roe deer Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) densities are very low in central west Portugal (the Freita, Arada, and Montemuro mountains). This area is inhabited by the endangered Iberian wolf Canis lupus signatus Cabrera, 1907, whose numbers have dramatically decreased since the 20th century. An important step in a roe deer reintroduction program is to establish suitable reintroduction sites. The aim of the study was to identify such sites in central Portugal. An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in combination with a GIS was applied to develop a habitat suitability model, which integrated empirical models and expert knowledge. The variables used in the model included land use, hydrographic network, asphalted roads, population/villages, and relief. Three reintroduction sites suitable for roe deer were identified as potential habitats for their future natural expansion. Those sites were considered as preliminary ones. Finally, future goals and actions are discussed in relation to the promotion of the ecological and social conditions that would favour the survival of roe deer and Iberian wolf in central Portugal.

To Eat or Not To Eat? The Diet of the Endangered Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) in a Human-Dominated Landscape in Central Portugal

“…Wolves living in such conditions are in a precarious balance. In this context, a reintroduction project of roe deer is beginning in the same areas of the studied packs [ 46 ]. In a medium to long-term this will once again allow the wolf a choice of natural prey, and, politically, it will show that wolf conservation is a dynamic process and not merely a passive protection defense.…”

Environmental favorability models as a tool to support trophic rewilding initiatives

“…In the absence of presence data, researchers and conservation practitioners should consider the use of heuristic tools (e.g. Cruz et al 2014) and/or model projections in space and time (e.g. Huber et al 2014) to identify the areas where the conservation efforts must be allocated.…”

“…Huber et al 2014) to identify the areas where the conservation efforts must be allocated. For instance, release site selection by using heuristic tools was crucial for the ongoing roe deer reintroduction program in central Portugal (Torres et al 2018), where the reintroduced roe deer is thriving in selected areas of wolf range and is slowly being incorporated into wolves' diet.…”

“…In Portugal, the Iberian wolf ( Canis lupus signatus ) is an endangered carnivore occupying 20% of its original range mainly due to the scarcity of wild prey and human persecution, primarily triggered by Iberian wolf depredation on livestock (Torres & Fonseca 2016). Scientific evidences suggest that an increase in the availability of wild prey, together with effective livestock protection measures, can help to reverse this trend (Torres et al 2018). Roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ) reintroduction projects have been carried in north‐central Portugal to increase wolf wild prey availability (Torres et al 2015).…”

Global reintroduction perspectives: 2018. Case studies from around the globe

“…(Pimenta et al, 2005). Wild prey, such as roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), is virtually extinct in central Portugal in areas inhabited by wolf, namely in the AFM mountain range (Cruz et al, 2014;Torres et al, 2014). The reintroduction of roe deer in selected areas of wolf range would once again allow the wolf a choice of natural prey, reducing livestock attacks and decreasing human-wolf conflicts (Torres et al, 2015).…”