European rabbit population trends and associated factors: a review of the situation in the Iberian Peninsula
- 11 March 2009
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Wiley in Mammal Review
- Vol. 39 (2), 124-140
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2907.2009.00140.x
Abstract
1 European rabbits are considered a keystone species in the Iberian Peninsula. Their populations have sharply declined over the past century, mainly due to habitat loss and the arrival of two viral diseases: myxomatosis in the 1950s and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) at the end of the 1980s. For the conservation of the Iberian Mediterranean ecosystem, it is important to determine whether rabbit populations are recovering two decades after the RHD outbreak, and to identify the factors associated with population recovery. 2 Here, we review the current knowledge on recent rabbit population trends in the Iberian Peninsula and the factors associated with these trends. 3 Although most rabbit populations are still declining in the Iberian Peninsula, a few seem to have recovered. In general, positive trends have been recorded in species‐friendly habitats characterized by non‐fragmented landscapes, interspersed patches of Mediterranean scrubland, good pastures and/or crops, soft soils that are suitable for warren construction and a Mediterranean climate with relatively high rainfall. Additionally, rabbits seem to be recovering better in areas where management practices (e.g. low hunting pressure, habitat management and predator control) are applied to increase their numbers. 4 From these findings, it is possible to identify five broad objectives for rabbit conservation in the Iberian Peninsula. First, it is clearly necessary to establish a long‐term programme for monitoring rabbit abundance and trends on a large scale. Second, the conservation and restoration of open Mediterranean scrubland should be a priority for stabilizing and maintaining existing healthy rabbit populations. Third, despite the lack of experimental evidence, management activities aimed at increasing the quantity and quality of both refuge and food should continue to be implemented. Fourth, legislation on the timing of the hunting season should be revisited following recommendations made by scientists. Finally, experimental approaches are required to investigate whether the control of generalist predators is a successful strategy to allow rabbit populations to recover.Keywords
This publication has 67 references indexed in Scilit:
- Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) abundance and protected areas in central-southern Spain: why they do not match?European Journal of Wildlife Research, 2008
- European rabbits as ecosystem engineers: warrens increase lizard density and diversityBiodiversity and Conservation, 2008
- Rabbit populations and game management: the situation after 15 years of rabbit haemorrhagic disease in central-southern SpainBiodiversity and Conservation, 2007
- Hunting for answers: rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) population trends in northeastern SpainEuropean Journal of Wildlife Research, 2006
- Is the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) a threatened species in spain? Sociological constraints in the conservation of speciesBiodiversity and Conservation, 2006
- Habitat factors related to wild rabbit population trends after the initial impact of rabbit haemorrhagic diseaseWildlife Research, 2006
- Relationship Between Small-game Hunting and Carnivore Diversity in Central SpainBiodiversity and Conservation, 2005
- Environmental constraints in the colonization sequence of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus, 1758) across the Iberian Mountains, SpainJournal of Biogeography, 2005
- Effects of hunting on guianan forest game birdsBiodiversity and Conservation, 2005
- Incidence of viral hemorrhagic disease in wild rabbit populations in SpainMammalia, 1995