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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 34(6)

Geographical and environmental correlates of big and small game in Andalusia (southern Spain)

J. M. Vargas A B , M. A. Farfán A , J. C. Guerrero A , A. M. Barbosa A and R. Real A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, E-29071 Málaga, Spain.

B Corresponding author. Email: jmvy@uma.es

Wildlife Research 34(6) 498-506 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR06012
Submitted: 27 January 2007  Accepted: 20 September 2007   Published: 2 November 2007

Abstract

In Andalusia, southern Spain, each game estate applies its own rules and presents its results in annual hunting reports, which have been mandatory for Spanish game estates since 1989. We used the information about hunting yields, included in 32 134 annual hunting reports produced during the period 1993/94 to 2001/02 by 6049 game estates, to determine the current distribution of hunting yields of big and small game species in Andalusia. Using generalised linear models and a geographic information system, we determined the most favourable municipalities to big and small game, respectively, and delimited potential areas to attain good hunting yields for big and small game at a 1-km2 resolution. Municipalities and areas favourable to big game are mainly located in the Sierra Morena and the westernmost fringe of the Betic Range, while those favourable to small game occupy the upper Guadalquivir River valley. There is a clear segregation between big and small game species according to the physiography and land uses of the territory. Big game species are typical of Mediterranean woodland areas, while the most emblematic small game species prefer agricultural areas. Our results provide a territorial ordination of hunting yields in southern Spain and have several potential applications in strategic planning for hunting activities and biodiversity conservation in Andalusia that can be extrapolated to other regions.


Acknowledgements

This work was financed by the Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta de Andalucía (Research Project P05-RNM-00935) and the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia of the Spanish Government (Research Project CGL2006–09567/BOS).


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