Long-term mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella gazella) population fluctuations in Northern Israel

Abstract

The mountain gazelle,Gazella gazella gazella, is a small antelope which originally occurred in Syria, Lebanon Jordan and Israel. The population throughout their range decreased until the 1950s as a result of uncontrolled poaching. Strict law enforcement by the Nature and Parks Authority of Israel (NPA) led to a rapid build-up in Israel. Gazelles occurred in high densities in two regions in northern Israel: the Southern Golan (197 km2), where the highest observed density was 25 gazelle km2, and Ramot Yissakhar (83 km2), where density was 32 gazelle km2. Total yearly counts have been conducted since 1983 in both regions. After increased damage to crops, and as a result of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 1986, the NPA began to control the gazelle population by hunting. The aim was to reduce gazelle density to 15–20 gazelle km−2. The harvest was carried out over ten years (1985–1994) during which the Golan population decreased from 4900 gazelle in 1985, to 2200 in 1994. The Ramot Yissakhar population declined from 3400 to 1300. After the target population size was reached and harvesting stopped, the Golan population continued to decline at a constant rate, a process that is presently continuing (460 gazelle in 2001). The Ramot Yissakhar population appears to have stabilized (1338 gazelle in 2001) at the target density. Research is being conducted to identify the possible causes of this decline, including predation, illegal hunting, trapping and disease-induced abortion as possible factors. Predation is probably the most important factor.