Wild Rabbit Management in the Iberian Peninsula: State of the Art and Future Perspectives for Iberian Lynx Conservation

Abstract

The Iberian lynx, the most endangered cat in the world, is presently found only in two isolated populations in southern Spain. Natural expansion from these populations is limited which turns Iberian lynx reintroduction programs into the only alternative to save the species from extinction. Prey availability is one of the top considerations for predator reintroductions. In this paper, we review the state of the art regarding wild rabbit (lynx's main prey) biology, status and management in the Iberian Peninsula, and future perspectives for Iberian lynx conservation. Historically, wild rabbits have sharply declined in the Iberian Peninsula, mainly as a consequence of habitat loss and the arrival of viral diseases. Most Iberian rabbit populations are still declining so different management techniques are employed to revert this scenario. Population monitoring, adjusting hunting pressure, predator control, habitat management, restocking and rabbit vaccination are the most frequently employed management tools. Surprisingly, strong empirical evidence is still lacking to support the usefulness and impact of most of these management techniques. Hence, for the success of future Iberian lynx reintroductions, efforts need to be made to suppress knowledge gaps of rabbit ecology and management at several levels, namely: the study of basic biological parameters from natural free populations, the implementation of an Iberian rabbit monitoring framework based on standardised rabbit monitoring protocols (that produces systematic and periodic comparable results), the study of the impact of predator control, the assessment of both the costs vs. benefits of vaccinating wild rabbits against viral diseases and the effectiveness of habitat management. Finally, the creation of a working platform congregating researchers, hunters and game managers, conservationists and further sectors involved in wild rabbit management is essential for the definition of a global strategy that defends collective interests and serves the ultimate goal of conserving this lagomorph.

Towards a standardized index of European rabbit abundance in Iberian Mediterranean habitats

“…Although these indices may locally result in reproducible variations in densities, we do not recommend their use in regional monitoring programs if they are not complemented by additional rabbit data (e.g., RDI). Despite LATR being recently adopted as a standardized methodology for monitoring rabbits in Portugal (Ferreira and Delibes-Mateos 2011), our findings indicate this method is not reliable for monitoring abundance on large spatial and temporal scales, being preferable other pellet-count indices.…”

“…For instance, the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is a critically endangered predator specialist on rabbits , and it has been calculated that the autumn mean rabbit density required for Iberian lynx residence is 1 rabbit ha −1 , while the spring mean rabbit density required for reproduction is 4.6 rabbits ha −1 . Hence, large and cost-effective spatial monitoring projects to select areas suitable for lynx re-establishment are dependent on reliable and easy-to-perform indices of rabbit abundance (Ferreira and Delibes-Mateos 2011).…”

Occupancy, colonization and extinction patterns of rabbit populations: implications for Iberian lynx conservation

“…This program, called IBERLINCE and supported by EU LIFE + funds, aims to recover lynx populations through habitat and prey management followed by lynx reintroduction. In this context, promoting the recovery of rabbit populations is a critical task (Ferreira and Delibes-Mateos 2011), and the first essential step is to understand the current dynamics of ecosystem conditions that sustain this key prey .…”

Factors affecting wild rabbit production in extensive breeding enclosures: how can we optimise efforts?

“…For these reasons, setting up extensive captive rabbit breeding enclosures has become a widely used technique in conservation projects over the last few years (Ferreira and Delibes-Mateos, 2010). However, the importance of certain logistic issues such as enclosure sizes, the number of enclosures to be created or the distances between them and their effect on further rabbit abundance, is not well known.…”