III Congreso Ib%C3%A9rico del Lobo

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III Congreso Ibérico del Lobo Resúmenes
Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) reintroduction feasibility in
central Portugal: Iberian wolf conservation
R. Tinoco Torres, T. Cruz, B. Oliveira, J. Carvalho, R.G. Rocha, J. Santos, G.
Brotas, L. Mendes & C. Fonseca
Reintroductions are important tools for both direct and indirect species conservation
and recently more attention has been paid to the restoration of ecosystem
function. Currently, the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) is considered an
endangered species in Portugal, having suffered a significant decrease of distribution
in past decades, partly due to direct persecution by man, as result of livestock
predation. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of increasing
the abundance of wild prey, in order to reduce their impact on livestock, thereby
reducing conflicts with humans. Large wild preys, such as roe deer (Capreolus
capreolus), are virtually extinct in central Portugal in areas inhabited by wolf.
The reintroduction of roe deer in central Portugal would provide, in due course,
a source of wild prey for the endangered Iberian wolf, decreasing wolf livestock
predation, thus reducing conflicts with humans (wolves are often killed illegally
by shooting, poison or snares). Therefore, such reintroduction would once again
allow the wolf a choice of natural prey and contribute to wolf conservation has a
dynamic process and not merely a passive protection defence. For this purpose,
the reintroduction of roe deer in central Portugal (Serra da Freita e Arada and Serra
de Montemuro) would improve the productivity of the region by providing,
in due course, a surplus of wolf wild prey. Our aims are threefold: i) to plan and
implement a successful reintroduction of roe deer in central Portugal (Serra da
Arada, Freita e Montemuro); ii) to assess the impact of roe deer reintroduction
on vegetation structure and composition; and iii) to evaluate the impact of roe
deer reintroduction on wolf conservation. We attempt to restore some missing
ecological processes (predator-prey and herbivore-vegetation interactions) and as
a step towards the re-establishment of the ecosystem functioning. At this stage,
we are in the first-phase of the reintroduction project, following the IUCN
guidelines. Therefore we are conducting a feasibility study to determine habitat
suitability and the overall likelihood of success, for selecting source animals and
release sites.
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