Efecto de la gestión para las especies de caza menor sobre la fauna no cinegética

Abstract

Arroyo, B., Delibes-Mateos, M., Caro, J., Estrada, A., Mougeot, F., Diaz-Fernandez, S., Casas, F., Vinuela, J. (2013). Effect of small game management on non-game fauna. Ecosistemas 22(2):27-32. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.2013.22-2.05 Hunting, as an activity implemented over wildlife, and because of its associated management, can have effects on other species. Most frequently used management tools for small game includes habitat modifications, provision of supplementary food or water, predator control or release of farm-reared animals. Information reviewed shows that maintaining appropriate habitats for game animals (a heterogeneous landscape with natural vegetation patches within the farmland matrix, vegetation along field edges) and provision of supplementary food and water frequently benefit non-game species. Predator control could be beneficial for certain non-game prey, but this effect is not observed in all studied species. In addition, this tool is associated with the use of illegal methods with very detrimental effects on protected predators. Very intensive management, particularly when based on releases of farm-reared animals, is apparently detrimental for certain species. Disturbance associated with hunting activities also appear to have negative effects on some non-game species. These results show that management combining conservation of adequate habitats, an appropriate use of feeders and water points, hunting based on wild populations (without releases of farm-reared animals), regulating hunting pressure, maintaining hunt-free reserves within the hunting estates, and sometimes the use of a legal and selective predator control, could benefit other species of conservation concern.