Hunting Statistics Research Articles

Notes on Ovis aries musimon in the Bohemian Lands according to hunting statistics (Artiodactyla: Bovidae)

Determining the exact numbers of introduced or invasive species is generally complicated. The mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) has been bred in the territory of the present Czech Republic since the 18th century as a game. It is known from archival sources when and through which channels the species appeared in the Czech territory. Its population growth can be assessed based on hunting statistics, which cannot provide completely accurate numbers, but indicate the trends reliably. During the 20th century, however, the mouflon occurred increasingly in the wild. Data from hunting statistics indicate a massive increase in its population during the second half of the 20th century.

Assessing trophy hunting in South Africa by comparing hunting and exporting databases

Trophy hunting constitutes a major part of the global wildlife tourism industry and is connected through the export of kills to international wildlife trade. Inconsistencies between kills and exports can contribute to identifying illegal trophy hunting that constitutes a major threat to biodiversity conservation. This paper quantitatively analyses to what extent the data of trophy hunting kills and of trophy exports are consistent using the example of South Africa. Data was extracted from two different sources for the year 2018. These sources were trade data reported under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and its Trade Database on the export of trophy items from South Africa, which is compared with the South African Professional Hunting statistics (SAPHs) containing trophy kills information for each species and the country of origin of the hunter. The data of trophy hunting kills and data of trophy hunting export was found to differ to varying degrees across the countries contributing to trophy hunting and CITES-listed trophy-hunted species. We found that both databases report hunting of the same 28 threatened taxa. On the other hand, the same data reports that hunters of 64 nationalities participated in a total of 4,726 trophy kills, while only 3,131 hunting trophy items were exported from South Africa, to 37 countries as final destinations. Among the possible reasons for the discrepancies found, we suggest that the time required to taxidermize trophy specimens may delay the items being addressed to their final destination, in addition to the dual citizenship of some hunters that should also have some influence on our results, as well as the important commercial destination of Brussels Airport. The USA show the highest absolute number of trophy hunters, followed by Spain, but Denmark is the highest driver per capita. Therefore, greater participation of these countries in conservation policies for endangered species is necessary. Additionally, a more detailed differentiation of the term “trophy” to more specific terms such as claws, skins, skulls, etc. may improve reporting systems to easier identify illegal activities related to hunting.

Age ratio, crippling losses and factors affecting daily hunting bags of European Turtle-dove in Spain: Implications for sustainable harvest management of a declining migratory species

Knowledge of seasonal variation in hunting pressure and the demographic composition of hunting bags is likely to be important for the effective management of quarry species. Such knowledge is particularly important where regulatory mechanisms aim to avoid the over-exploitation of quarry species having unfavourable conservation status. We compiled information on the age composition of harvested European Turtle-doves (Streptopelia turtur), and the daily numbers of doves shot and retrieved from 68 hunting estates spread across four Spanish regions. We use these data to describe temporal variation, and identify factors affecting daily hunting bags, age composition and crippling losses. We found that more juvenile doves were hunted than adults (and more than expected in a stable population) especially at the beginning of the hunting season, suggesting greater vulnerability of juveniles to hunting. The number of doves hunted each day declined through the hunting season and increased with the number of hunters present. Crippling losses averaged 9.6 % of all doves shot; applying this rate to recent Spanish government hunting statistics suggests under-recording of approximately 90,000 doves annually for the entire country. Our data on age composition and crippling losses can serve as direct inputs into future models of sustainable harvest for Turtle Dove in Europe. Our results highlight the importance of improving knowledge about the variables influencing take at the hunting event level for designing more efficiency regulatory measures.

Can we model distribution of population abundance from wildlife–vehicles collision data?

Reliable estimates of the distribution of species abundance are a key element in wildlife studies, but such information is usually difficult to obtain for large spatial or long temporal scales. Wildlife–vehicle collision (WVC) data is systematically registered in many countries and could be used as a proxy of population abundance if the number of WVC in each territory increase with the population abundance. However, factors such as road density or human population should be controlled to obtain accurate abundance estimations from WVC data. Here, we propose a hierarchical modeling approach using the Royle–Nichols model for detection–non‐detection data to obtain population abundance indices from WVC. Relative abundance and individual detectability were modeled for two species, wild boar Sus scrofa and roe deer Capreolus capreolus at 10 × 10 km cells in mainland Spain from WVC data using environmental, anthropological and temporal covariates. For each cell, a detection was annotated if at least one WVC was recorded at each month (used as survey occasion). The predicted abundance indices were compared with raw hunting statistics at region level to assess the performance of the modeling approach. Site specific covariates such as road density or administrative region and the month of the year, affected individual detectability, with higher WVC probability between October and December for wild boar and between April and July for roe deer. Wild boar and roe deer abundance can be explained by both, bioclimatic and land cover covariates. Abundance indices obtained from WVC data were significantly positively correlated with regional raw hunting yields for both species. We presented empirical evidence supporting that accurate wildlife abundance indices at fine spatial resolution can be generated from WVC data when individual detectability is considered in the modeling process.

European Turtle Dove Population Trend in Greece Using Hunting Statistics of the Past 16-Year Period as Indices.

Simple SummaryHunting regulates the populations of hunted species. By collecting annual data of hunting activity, scientists may estimate the trend of the population numbers of these species. In Greece, the ARTEMIS project (named after the ancient Greek goddess Artemis (Diana)) is a statistical database of hunting characteristics, as revealed by questionnaires distributed to hunters. In the present research, these hunting statistics are used to determine the population trend of the European turtle dove in the country, an important species to Greek hunters. By using advanced statistical modeling, the research finds that for the period 2004/05–2019/20, the population trend of the European turtle dove in Greece is stable and its harvest sustainable.The European turtle dove is an important game bird for the hunters in Greece, which is one of a few European countries where its hunting is allowed. The sustainability of the species’ hunting in Europe is discussed during the last several years due to declines in its population, which forced IUCN to classify it as vulnerable. In Greece, its harvest takes place from 20 August and lasts as long as the presence of the species in the country (mid-October). The ARTEMIS project is a Greek statistical database of hunting characteristics, as revealed by questionnaires distributed to hunters. Statistical indicators such as hunting opportunity and hunting harvest are considered in the literature as reliable to show the population trend of a game species. Therefore, in the present research, hunting statistics are used to determine the population trend of the European turtle dove in Greece. State-space modeling was the main procedure used, a method which allows us to deal with errors that exist from hunting bag data or hunting opportunity data assuming that on average the under and overestimations will be equal. The results of the modeling analysis show a stable trend of the variables used, i.e., hunting opportunity, hunting harvest, and juveniles to adult’s ratio. Additionally, the hunting sustainability index showed that the sustainability of the species is improved annually, as a slight positive trend is revealed. This is in favor of the species, if it is considered that the actual percentage of the turtle dove population harvested is lower, since not all doves are encountered by hunters. It is concluded that for the period 2004/05–2019/20, as indicated by the hunting statistics, the population trend of the European turtle dove in Greece was stable and its harvest sustainable.

Současný areál výskytu mývala severního (Procyon lotor) v České republice dle odlovu (Carnivora: Procyonidae)

Current range of Procyon lotor in the Czech Republic based on hunting statistics (Carnivora: Procyonidae). The common raccoon (Procyon lotor), introduced to Europe at the end of the first half of the 20th century, is included in the EU Black List of Invasive Alien Species. Due to its assessed high impact on the European biodiversity, research has been focused on the specific influence of its introduction and evaluating the intensity and direction of its invasion. In the Czech Republic, two separate raccoon populations are known – in northwestern Bohemia and central and southern Moravia. We used the bag records from the Annual reports on hunting grounds, game numbers and game huntings at the level of municipalities with extended competences (ORP) for the retrospective assessment of the raccoon distribution in the Czech Republic. The reports from the hunting years 2011/2012 to 2017/2018 were evaluated. In the first year (2011/2012), 234 individuals were caught in 23 ORP (out of a total of 205 ORP of the country). In the last year of the evaluation (2017/2018), 1,352 individuals were caught in 56 ORP. The highest density of the Bohemian population was recorded in the hunting year 2017/2018 (0.45 individuals per 100 hectares) in the Karlovy Vary ORP. In the Moravian population, the peak was reached in the hunting year 2013/14, when 0.59 individuals per 100 hectares were recorded in the Přelouč ORP.

Kvalita trofejí lovených druhov kopytníkov na severovýchode Slovenska (Cetartiodactyla)

Trophy quality in hunted ungulates in northeastern Slovakia (Cetartiodactyla). Based on the data from trophy hunting statistics (1997–2019), this paper describes changes in the potential economic trophy value evaluation of hunted ungulates (PETV) by comparison of two groups of areas, (1) the hunting grounds with wolf protection (since 2014), and (2) the hunting grounds without wolf protection. In both groups of areas in the long-term aspect (1997–2019), the value of PETV had an increasing trend in the roe deer, wild boar, and red deer. Since 2014, in the areas with wolf protection the average value of PETV was at the level of 249 €/year/km2 (SD 69 €/year/km2) and in the areas without wolf protection, it was 185 €/year/km2 (SD 8 €/year/km2). Since 2014, in the areas with wolf protection, the mortality did not affect the PETV trend, but in the red deer a significant fluctuation in PETV values was observed compared to the previous period. Since 2014, in the areas with wolf protection, a qualitative increase in the value of hunted red deer trophies was registered, in almost all C.I.C. categories above 170 points.

Consequences of migratory coupling of predators and prey when mediated by human actions

AbstractAimAnimal migrations influence ecosystem structure, dynamics and persistence of predator and prey populations. The theory of migratory coupling postulates that aggregations of migrant prey can induce large‐scale synchronized movements in predators, and this coupling is consequential for the dynamics of ecological communities. The degree to which humans influence these interactions remains largely unknown. We tested whether creation of large resource pulses by humans such as seasonal herding of reindeer Rangifer tarandus and hunting of moose, Alces alces, can induce migratory coupling with Golden Eagles, Aquila chrysaetos, and whether these lead to demographic consequences for the eagles.LocationFennoscandia.MethodsWe used movement data from 32 tracked Golden Eagles spanning 125 annual migratory cycles over 8 years. We obtained reindeer distribution data through collaboration with reindeer herders based on satellite tracking of reindeer, and moose harvest data from the national hunting statistics for Sweden. We assessed demographic consequences for eagles from ingesting lead from ammunition fragments in moose carcasses through survival estimates and their links with lead concentrations in eagles' blood.ResultsIn spring, eagles migrated hundreds of kilometres to be spatially and temporally coupled with calving reindeer, whereas in autumn, eagles matched their distribution with the location and timing of moose hunt. Juveniles were more likely to couple with reindeer calving, whereas adults were particularly drawn to areas of higher moose harvest. Due to this coupling, eagles ingested lead from spent ammunition in moose offal and carcasses and the resulting lead toxicity increased the risk of mortality by 3.4 times.Main conclusionsWe show how migratory coupling connects landscape processes and that human actions can influence migratory coupling over large spatial scales and increase demographic risks for predators. We provide vital knowledge towards resolving human–wildlife conflicts and the conservation of protected species over a large spatial and temporal scale.

Update of occurrence and hunting yield‐based data models for wild boar at European scale: new approach to handle the bioregion effect

The ENETWILD consortium updated in August 2019 suitability maps of wild boar occurrence and relative abundance based on hunting statistics, providing predictions at 10x10 km. External validation of this relative abundance model and a new downscaling on a 2x2 km grid was addressed in the ENETWILD report in January 2020. In this report, we update and incorporate additional data to provide new maps of wild boar suitability with a resolution of 2x2 km, obtained from a presence-only algorithm, and a new model based on hunting yield data for MS and neighbouring countries. Hunting yield-based modelling provides further novelties in two ways: new predictor variables and new (two) modelling approaches, i.e. smooth bioregion modelling and two-step independent bioregion modelling). Internal validations and comparisons among previous and new suitability and hunting yield models were also addressed, as well as external evaluation of the best new approach at European scale (at country level). The suitability map showed a good agreement with the expert-derived species range published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. New models of relative abundance performed in general better than the previous one according to internal validations, concretely the two-step independent bioregion approach gives the best validation scores. This approach solved the abrupt changes in predictions between bioregion boundaries. As with the previous model, the external evaluation of the new model based on hunting yield presented certain over-prediction of the total hunting bags reported per country, although a high linearity between observed and predicted values was achieved. Previous and new hunting yield model predictions showed disagreements particularly in North and East regions, and other scattered areas in South and West, being areas in which the new model provides more reliable predictions. Hunting yield model outputs showed a relevant improvement in smoothing transitions between bioregions due to the flexibility provided by the new approach. Our analysis showed only partial agreement between suitability and relative abundance models, and reasons for these differences are discussed in this report.

Global offtake of wild animals from wetlands: critical issues for fish and birds

The global offtake of wild animals is valued at US$400 billion annually and supports the livelihoods of 15% of the global population. Wetlands are amongst the most important ecosystems globally, but offtake may represent a substantial pressure. This study assessed the availability of information and evaluated the offtake of wild animals from wetlands by focussing on fish and waterbirds. A literature search identified 2726 studies on wetland offtake. Scoping of these resulted in 82 studies that contained quantitative information on fish or waterbird offtake. Fishing offtake statistics for inland waters are collated nationally by some governments, but other sources of information are few. Reporting of fish offtake for species or across scales was constrained by insufficient detail, even in relatively well-documented countries such as Bangladesh. Although government hunting statistics from Europe and North America were available, there was little waterbird data from less economically developed countries. The case of Canada indicated that the species richness and composition of waterbirds taken varied between indigenous subsistence and recreational hunting communities. Hidden (unquantified) offtake, of both fish and waterbirds, hinders obtaining precise data for offtake, which may threaten the conservation of species and the sustainability of wetland ecosystems.

Predicting the Potential Impacts of Trophy Hunting on Population Structure of Himalayan Ibex (Capra sibirica) in Northern Pakistan

We compared population structure and trophy hunting statistics of Himalayan ibex (Capra sibirica) in two community-controlled hunting areas (CCHAs) of northern Pakistan with varying duration of trophy hunting and isolated populations of C. sibirica. Based on fixed-point direct count method during winter 2016–2017, 939 ibexes were counted in Khyber and 346 in Hussaini, with a density of 7.5 and 3.2 animals km-2, respectively. Though the populations of C. sibirica at both the study sites have increased compared to the past estimates, we found variations in population structures and horn sizes, presumably as a result of trophy hunting. The sex ratios are skewed toward females in Khyber (87 males/100 females) and towards males in Hussaini (115 males/100 females). The trophy size males were 7% of the population in Khyber and 11% in Hussaini. Mean group (herd) size in Khyber was 28 (range = 1–117) and Hussaini was 20 (range = 1–79). Mean horn size of the trophies harvested in Khyber was 102 cm (± range = 91–114) compared to 108 cm (range = 99–121) in Hussaini. Stringent regulatory measures are suggested to determine the number of permits.

Report of the 1st Annual General Meeting of ENETWILD Parma, 16‐18 January 2018

The ENETWILD consortium (www.enetwild.com) has implemented an EFSA‐funded project whose main objective is to collect information and model the geographical distribution and abundance of wild boar throughout Europe. This is of particular concern owing to the spread of African swine fever from Eastern areas. In January 2018, ENETWILD organised discussion workshops for 70 experts in the field of the ecology, management and epidemiology of wild boar. Three workshops addressed the following questions: (1) what kind of data is needed to develop wild boar abundance maps?; (2) how can estimates of boar abundance be harmonised between regions?; and (3) how can the collection of wild boar distribution and abundance data be improved? In order to collect data on the presence/absence and abundance of wild boar obtained from different sources (administrations, hunters, naturalists and researchers), it is necessary to work on the generation, collection and processing of data in a harmonised manner, thus enabling the information to be comparable and used at a European level. The use of information on hunting statistics (number of animals hunted and hunting effort per surface unit) is particularly essential. The strategy is based on, firstly, collecting existing non‐harmonised wild boar data in the short‐term (occurrence and hunting statistics) by collecting the more accessible data. As a second step, ENETWILD distributed a questionnaire on how and where the data concerning hunting statistics are collected throughout the different Countries or regions in Europe. The objective of this questionnaire was to identify those places in which hunting statistics are still disaggregated (at the highest spatial resolution), with the purpose of standardising the means employed to collect hunting data in Europe. The following step consisted of the appropriate collection of data, using a data model and supported by a data‐sharing agreement.

Seasonal cycles of the TBE and Lyme borreliosis vector Ixodes ricinus modelled with time-lagged and interval-averaged predictors

Ticks of the species Ixodes ricinus (L.) are the major vectors for tick-borne diseases in Europe. The aim of this study was to quantify the influence of environmental variables on the seasonal cycle of questing I. ricinus. Therefore, an 8-year time series of nymphal I. ricinus flagged at monthly intervals in Haselmühl (Germany) was compiled. For the first time, cross correlation maps were applied to identify optimal associations between observed nymphal I. ricinus densities and time-lagged as well as temporal averaged explanatory variables. To prove the explanatory power of these associations, two Poisson regression models were generated. The first model simulates the ticks of the entire time series flagged per 100 m^2, the second model the mean seasonal cycle. Explanatory variables comprise the temperature of the flagging month, the relative humidity averaged from the flagging month and 1 month prior to flagging, the temperature averaged over 4–6 months prior to the flagging event and the hunting statistics of the European hare from the preceding year. The first model explains 65% of the monthly tick variance and results in a root mean square error (RMSE) of 17 ticks per 100 m^2. The second model explains 96% of the tick variance. Again, the accuracy is expressed by the RMSE, which is 5 ticks per 100 m^2. As a major result, this study demonstrates that tick densities are higher correlated with time-lagged and temporal averaged variables than with contemporaneous explanatory variables, resulting in a better model performance.

Ungulates increase forest plant species richness to the benefit of non-forest specialists.

Large wild ungulates are a major biotic factor shaping plant communities. They influence species abundance and occurrence directly by herbivory and plant dispersal, or indirectly by modifying plant-plant interactions and through soil disturbance. In forest ecosystems, researchers' attention has been mainly focused on deer overabundance. Far less is known about the effects on understory plant dynamics and diversity of wild ungulates where their abundance is maintained at lower levels to mitigate impacts on tree regeneration. We used vegetation data collected over 10years on 82 pairs of exclosure (excluding ungulates) and control plots located in a nation-wide forest monitoring network (Renecofor). We report the effects of ungulate exclusion on (i) plant species richness and ecological characteristics, (ii) and cover percentage of herbaceous and shrub layers. We also analyzed the response of these variables along gradients of ungulate abundance, based on hunting statistics, for wild boar (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Outside the exclosures, forest ungulates maintained higher species richness in the herbaceous layer (+15%), while the shrub layer was 17% less rich, and the plant communities became more light-demanding. Inside the exclosures, shrub cover increased, often to the benefit of bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.). Ungulates tend to favour ruderal, hemerobic, epizoochorous and non-forest species. Among plots, the magnitude of vegetation changes was proportional to deer abundance. We conclude that ungulates, through the control of the shrub layer, indirectly increase herbaceous plant species richness by increasing light reaching the ground. However, this increase is detrimental to the peculiarity of forest plant communities and contributes to a landscape-level biotic homogenization. Even at population density levels considered to be harmless for overall plantspecies richness, ungulates remain a conservation issue for plant community composition.

Epizootic and Epidemiological Situation of Trichinella sp. Infection in Poland in 2006-2015 in View of Wild Boar Population Dynamics.

IntroductionThe objective was to evaluate the epizootic and epidemiological situation of Trichinella sp. infection in Poland between 2006 and 2015 against the dynamics of the wild boar population and its primary reservoir host.Material and MethodsBoar and porcine trichinosis epizootic analysis was based on General Veterinary Inspectorate data from RRW-6 bulletins. The epidemiological situation was evaluated on the basis of the data supplied by the Department of Epidemiology of the National Institute of Hygiene - National Institute of Public Health. The wild boar hunting harvest and population dynamics were estimated, as these animals remain the basic infection source for humans. Population size and harvest data were obtained from hunting statistics.ResultsThe study timeframe showed an almost 2.5-fold increase in Trichinella infection cases in wild boars but a significant decline in human cases. In the domestic pig, the incidence rate did not exceed 0.00037%. The highest infection risk exists in West Pomerania, Greater Poland, and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Provinces. Over the study period, the wild boar population increased more than 1.5-fold, while the hunting harvest more than tripled. During the last two seasons the total hunt surpassed 100% of the spring population.ConclusionWild boar management by increasing the hunting take of the annual population growth should limit that growth and decrease the take in the future. Thereby, over some years intra-species trichinosis spread should reduce, for a substantial safety gain for wild boar meat.

Population dynamics and structure of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) inhabiting small-size forests in north-western Poland

According to hunting statistics in the last two decades, both the population numbers and harvesting of roe deer in Poland have been on the increase from 597000 to 876000 animals and from 158000 to 172000 harvested individuals, respectively. The number of roe deer reported by hunters are mainly based on guesswork, therefore the objective of the study was to verify the inventory of roe deer conducted by hunting clubs in the Myśliborz Forest District (north-western Poland) and to determine the sex ratio and age structure this species. The study area is including 86 small size forest complexes and covers 12990 ha. Roe deer number were determined over four years from 2002 to 2006. In sampling plots (February 2002) data from snow tracking and driving census showed significant correlation (r = 0.663, p = 0.003) between the relative population density (N/km) — independent variable and population density (N/1000 ha) - dependent variable. Roe deer snow tracks were counted during five days each year on 16 line transects (length 66.4 km) and the relative population densities (animal per km*day-1) for the whole study area were calculated. These indices were inserted into the regression formula that was obtained from sampling plots. It allowed to calculate the population density (N/1000 ha) and then roe deer numbers inhabiting the study area. Population density ranged from 300.1–319.0 individuals/1000 hectares of forest, and the differences between the four years of study were statistically insignificant. In summer, the sex ratio of the population was 1:1.4 in favour of females, and the autumn increment of young animals amounted to 70.2 fawns/100 does. The average population number of roe deer assessed for these four years was 3568 individuals and was more than two times higher than the average population size (n = 1670) given by hunters.

Complementary use of density estimates and hunting statistics: different sides of the same story?

The use of hunting statistics for population monitoring has often been criticized because such data are affected by several sources of error. Still, for many harvested populations, hunting statistics are the only available data source and cautious use of such data may be valuable for management. Here we assessed to what extent long-term monitoring of Svalbard rock ptarmigan spring densities and hunting statistics (bag size and proportion of juveniles in the hunting bag) reflect similar population fluctuations. We found a decreasing trend in both bag size and proportion of juveniles in the bag, but no trend in ptarmigan spring densities. However, annual fluctuations of ptarmigan spring density and bag size were correlated. Together, these time series indicate that both population abundance (bag size) and recruitment (proportion of juveniles in the bag) are decreasing, but the reproductive component fraction (density of territorial males) is not yet compromised. This biological interpretation remains, however, uncertain due to lack of hunting effort data. Monitoring programs using hunting statistics should therefore critically discuss and evaluate what the hunting statistics reflect and fine-tune the hunter data collection to obtain maximum biological relevance. Still, our results illustrate that the combination of population estimates and hunting statistics can provide more nuanced information about the population status than the density estimates alone.

Spatio-temporal patterns of wildlife-vehicle collisions in a region with a high-density road network

This paper is the first to report data on wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) in Wallonia, southern Belgium, characterised by one of the densest road network worldwide. With the collaboration of police we identified 3965 accidents involving “free ranging animal” between 2003 and 2011. We observed that these accidents with free ranging animals result in 13% of cases in injuries for the drivers or passengers, and in less than 1% of cases in fatalities (death). 78% of these casualties involve wild animals, among which wild boar take the largest part (39% ). During the covered period we observed an annual increase of WVC of 21%. For wild boar and red deer, this increase was significantly correlated with hunting statistics, used as an index of population density. The temporal analysis demonstrated an increase of WVC during night time with peak of accidents at dusk and dawn. Monthly distribution revealed the role of breeding, dispersal and hunting in shaping temporal patterns of accidents. Spatial analysis, focusing on wild boar, roe deer, red deer and red fox demonstrated clustering of accidents for all these species, until scale between 20 to 70 km. Mapping of accidents via Kernel density analysis permitted us to highlight areas with high risk of WVC risk. Our study suggests that the problem of car accidents due to wildlife is an increasing concern in Wallonia but results on spatial and temporal patterns should help for setting up mitigation measures in the most sensible areas. Moreover we suggest that police data source should be used for nationwide analysis and for comparison between countries.

Application of the Anthropogenic Allee Effect Model to Trophy Hunting as a Conservation Tool

Trophy hunting can provide economic incentives to conserve wild species, but it can also involve risk when rare species are hunted. The anthropogenic Allee effect (AAE) is a conceptual model that seeks to explain how rarity may spread the seeds of further endangerment. The AAE model has increasingly been invoked in the context of trophy hunting, increasing concerns that such hunting may undermine rather than enhance conservation efforts. We question the appropriateness of uncritically applying the AAE model to trophy hunting for 4 reasons. First, the AAE assumes an open-access resource, which is a poor characterization of most trophy-hunting programs and obscures the potential for state, communal, or private-property use rights to generate positive incentives for conservation. Second, study results that show the price of hunting increases as the rarity of the animal increases are insufficient to indicate the presence of AAE. Third, AAE ignores the existence of biological and behavioral factors operating in most trophy-hunting contexts that tend to regulate the effect of hunting. We argue that site-specific data, rather than aggregated hunting statistics, are required to demonstrate that patterns of unsustainable exploitation can be well explained by an AAE model. Instead, we suggest that conservation managers seeking to investigate and identify constraints that limit the potential conservation role of trophy hunting, should focus on the critical governance characteristics that shape the potential conservation role of trophy hunting, such as corruption, insecure property rights, and inadequate sharing of benefits with local people.

Distribution, abundance and density of the wild boar on the Iberian Peninsula, based on the CORINE program and hunting statistics

Abstract. Wild boar population size in the Iberian Peninsula was estimated using hunting bag statistics from Spain and Portugal. Density was estimated assigning the wild boar population size to the “potential resources” or suitable habitats categorized by their importance to provide food and/or shelter to wild boars. Land uses were selected from CORINE, the EU database for land cover, using scientific literature and statistical significance for wild boar presence from published data. The hunting bag was 176245 and 15167 in Spain and Portugal, respectively. The average density was 0.373/km2 (min 0.014-max 2.22) in Spain and 0.13/km2 (min 0.00048-max 1.99) in Portugal, being 0.31/km2 (0.00048-2.22) over the entire Peninsula. Statistical analysis showed that wild boar presence was significantly (p < 0.05) associated to thirteen of the seventeen CORINE land uses selected. Agro-forestry, moors and heathland land use were not statistically significant but were included in the model due to their biological impor...