Historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction
Abstract Using records from archives detailing bounties for wolves killed in northern Spain during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, we investigated demographic and spatial distribution parameters of the population to determine whether direct persecution or prey availability was responsible f...
Published in: | European Journal of Wildlife Research |
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Language: | English |
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2262/42009 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-009-0300-5 |
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fttrinitycoll:oai:tara.tcd.ie:2262/42009 2023-05-15T15:50:40+02:00 Historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction 2010-12-14T15:59:39Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/42009 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-009-0300-5 en eng Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg 1612-4642 (pISSN) 1439-0574 (eISSN) 10344 (JournalID) 16124642 (ISSN) s10344-009-0300-5 (publisherID) 300 (ArticleID) http://hdl.handle.net/2262/42009 European Journal of Wildlife Research 56 2 169 179 doi:10.1007/s10344-009-0300-5 Springer-Verlag, 2009 12 months Canis lupus Wolf Persecution Prey Spain Mortality 2010 fttrinitycoll https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-009-0300-5 2020-02-16T13:49:26Z Abstract Using records from archives detailing bounties for wolves killed in northern Spain during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, we investigated demographic and spatial distribution parameters of the population to determine whether direct persecution or prey availability was responsible for the observed population decline. Captures of adult, subadult, and young individuals, including those of litters, showed a downward trend. Progressive decreases in age ratio and litter size, and the increase in the proportion of males, were compatible with a population under food stress, driven by the extinction of wild ungulates, the sharp reduction in livestock numbers, and the lack of alternative prey. The immigration and dispersal process does not seem to have functioned under such conditions. In the study area, where strychnine was not used until the end of the nineteenth century, the broadly accepted idea of human persecution having an exclusive or primary role in wolf decline does not necessarily apply. phone: +34-945-246606 (Fernandez, Jose Maria) elcorralin@yahoo.es (Fernandez, Jose Maria) Instituto Alaves de la Naturaleza - Calle de Pedro de Asua, 2 - 01008 - Vitoria - SPAIN (Fernandez, Jose Maria) Instituto Alaves de la Naturaleza - Calle de Pedro de Asua, 2 - 01008 - Vitoria - SPAIN (Ruiz de Azua, Nerea) SPAIN Registration: 2009-06-23 Received: 2009-01-21 Revised: 2009-05-10 Accepted: 2009-06-23 ePublished: 2009-07-14 Other/Unknown Material Canis lupus The University of Dublin, Trinity College: TARA (Trinity's Access to Research Archive) Fernandez ENVELOPE(-62.233,-62.233,-63.250,-63.250) European Journal of Wildlife Research 56 2 169 179 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Dublin, Trinity College: TARA (Trinity's Access to Research Archive) |
op_collection_id |
fttrinitycoll |
language |
English |
topic |
Canis lupus Wolf Persecution Prey Spain Mortality |
spellingShingle |
Canis lupus Wolf Persecution Prey Spain Mortality Historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction |
topic_facet |
Canis lupus Wolf Persecution Prey Spain Mortality |
description |
Abstract Using records from archives detailing bounties for wolves killed in northern Spain during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, we investigated demographic and spatial distribution parameters of the population to determine whether direct persecution or prey availability was responsible for the observed population decline. Captures of adult, subadult, and young individuals, including those of litters, showed a downward trend. Progressive decreases in age ratio and litter size, and the increase in the proportion of males, were compatible with a population under food stress, driven by the extinction of wild ungulates, the sharp reduction in livestock numbers, and the lack of alternative prey. The immigration and dispersal process does not seem to have functioned under such conditions. In the study area, where strychnine was not used until the end of the nineteenth century, the broadly accepted idea of human persecution having an exclusive or primary role in wolf decline does not necessarily apply. phone: +34-945-246606 (Fernandez, Jose Maria) elcorralin@yahoo.es (Fernandez, Jose Maria) Instituto Alaves de la Naturaleza - Calle de Pedro de Asua, 2 - 01008 - Vitoria - SPAIN (Fernandez, Jose Maria) Instituto Alaves de la Naturaleza - Calle de Pedro de Asua, 2 - 01008 - Vitoria - SPAIN (Ruiz de Azua, Nerea) SPAIN Registration: 2009-06-23 Received: 2009-01-21 Revised: 2009-05-10 Accepted: 2009-06-23 ePublished: 2009-07-14 |
title |
Historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction |
title_short |
Historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction |
title_full |
Historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction |
title_fullStr |
Historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction |
title_full_unstemmed |
Historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction |
title_sort |
historical dynamics of a declining wolf population: persecution vs. prey reduction |
publisher |
Springer-Verlag |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2262/42009 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-009-0300-5 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-62.233,-62.233,-63.250,-63.250) |
geographic |
Fernandez |
geographic_facet |
Fernandez |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_relation |
1612-4642 (pISSN) 1439-0574 (eISSN) 10344 (JournalID) 16124642 (ISSN) s10344-009-0300-5 (publisherID) 300 (ArticleID) http://hdl.handle.net/2262/42009 European Journal of Wildlife Research 56 2 169 179 doi:10.1007/s10344-009-0300-5 |
op_rights |
Springer-Verlag, 2009 12 months |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-009-0300-5 |
container_title |
European Journal of Wildlife Research |
container_volume |
56 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
169 |
op_container_end_page |
179 |
_version_ |
1766385658500218880 |