Association of the polecat Mustela putorius in eastern Spain with montane pine forests

Abstract

Populations of European polecat Mustela putorius have suffered a significant decline over the last few decades, although this trend may be reversing in some regions. In Mediterranean areas, which are generally at the edge of the species' range, there is little information on the distribution and conservation requirements of this species. This study analyses the relationship between habitat types and polecat distribution in the Valencia region of eastern Spain. Validated responses to questionnaires sent to naturalists, forestry agents, hunters and other groups likely to have seen polecats were used to record the presence of polecats in 10 * 10 km squares. Polecats were recorded only in areas of low human population density located at high altitudes, in contrast to the more well-studied populations of polecats elsewhere in Europe, where the species is associated more with human-modified environments. Montane pine forests appear to be the preferred habitat type for polecats in eastern Spain, and their absence from the extensive areas of low-lying scrubland, which are produced by a continuous history of fire disturbance, may be due to the relatively low diversity and abundance of potential prey in this habitat.