Roe deer reintroduction in central Portugal: a tool for Iberian wolf conservation

Abstract

Species reintroduction is an increasingly important tool for species recovery programs and habitat restoration initiatives worldwide. Roe deer Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) densities are very low in central west Portugal (the Freita, Arada, and Montemuro mountains). This area is inhabited by the endangered Iberian wolf Canis lupus signatus Cabrera, 1907, whose numbers have dramatically decreased since the 20th century. An important step in a roe deer reintroduction program is to establish suitable reintroduction sites. The aim of the study was to identify such sites in central Portugal. An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in combination with a GIS was applied to develop a habitat suitability model, which integrated empirical models and expert knowledge. The variables used in the model included land use, hydrographic network, asphalted roads, population/villages, and relief. Three reintroduction sites suitable for roe deer were identified as potential habitats for their future natural expansion. Those sites were considered as preliminary ones. Finally, future goals and actions are discussed in relation to the promotion of the ecological and social conditions that would favour the survival of roe deer and Iberian wolf in central Portugal.