The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN or any of the funding organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN.
Published by: IUCN/SSC Reintroduction Specialist Group & Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi
Copyright: © 2018 IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged.
Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Citation: Soorae, P. S. (ed.) (2018). Global Reintroduction Perspectives: 2018. Case studies from around the globe. IUCN/SSC Reintroduction Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland and Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi, UAE. xiv + 286pp.
6th Edition
ISBN: 978-2-8317-1901-6 (PDF) 978-2-8317-1902-3 (print edition)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2018.08.en
Cover photo: Clockwise starting from top-left: I. Reticulated python, Singapore © ACRES II. Trout cod, Australia © Gunther Schmida (Murray-Darling Basin Authority) III. Yellow-spotted mountain newt, Iran © M. Sharifi IV. Scimitar-horned oryx, Chad © Justin Chuven V. Oregon silverspot butterfly, USA © U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service VI. Two-colored cymbidium orchid, Singapore © Tim Wing Yam VII. Mauritius fody, Mauritius © Jacques de Spéville
Cover design & layout by: Pritpal S. Soorae, IUCN/SSC Reintroduction Specialist Group
Printed by: Arafah Printing Press LLC, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Download at: www.iucnsscrsg.org www.iucn.org/resources/publications
ii Mammals
Roe deer reintroduction in central Portugal: a tool for Iberian wolf conservation
Rita Tinoco Torres1, Gonçalo Brotas2 & Carlos Fonseca1
1 - Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal [email protected] 2 - ACHLI - Associação de Conservação do Habitat do Lobo Ibérico, Rua 25 de Abril, 37, Esposende, Portugal
Introduction The Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus), a subspecies of gray wolf, is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. According to the IUCN, and the Portuguese Vertebrates Red Data Book, the Iberian wolf in Portugal is considered Endangered (EN), having suffered a significant decrease in its distribution and abundance throughout the 20th century, partly due to direct human persecution. Wolves have progressively disappeared from littoral, south and central regions of the country (Álvares, 2011). This top predator is considered a priority subspecies for conservation and is included in the Bern Convention, CITES and Habitats Directive. In central Portugal, south of the Douro River, in the Arada, Freita and Montemuro (AFM) mountains, there is an isolated and fragmented population of Iberian wolf particularly vulnerable to local extinction (Pimenta et al., 2005). Wild prey, such as roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), is virtually extinct in central Portugal in areas inhabited by wolf, namely in the AFM mountain range (Cruz et al., 2014; Torres et al., 2014). The reintroduction of roe deer in selected areas of wolf range would once again allow the wolf a choice of natural prey, reducing livestock attacks and decreasing human-wolf conflicts (Torres et al., 2015). Also politically, such measures would show that wolf conservation can be a dynamic process and not merely a passive protection. For this purpose, the reintroduction of roe deer in central Portugal would improve the productivity of the region by providing, in due course, a surplus of wolf wild prey.
Goals Goal 1: Reintroduce a viable and breeding population of roe deer in AFM Mountains. Goal 2: Increase the density and diversity of wild prey for the Iberian wolf, decreasing wolf livestock predation, thus reducing conflicts with humans. Goal 3: To contribute for the protection and conservation management of the Iberian wolf in Portugal. Roe deer in its natural habitat
139 Mammals