Estudio de la comunidad de carnívoros del Parque Natural del Montseny (Catalunya) mediante el trampeo fotográfico

Abstract

Remote photography is a noninvasive technique that provides simultaneous data on most species that compose the carnivore community. This technique has recently become popular due to the availability of relatively simple and cost-effective automatic equipment. Between 2004 and 2007, the Montseny Natural Park area was meticulously sampled (30,000 ha), by placing a single photographic device with movement sensor in 234 1x1-km UTM squares (sample units [s.u.] formed 78% of the park area), for two consecutive nights each. Equipment was located in characteristic habitats at an altitudinal gradient of 1,465 m (165-1,630 m.a.s.l.). A total of 1,387 photographs were taken of carnivores representing 7 species (5 wild species and 2 domestic ones). The most frequently photographed species was the stone marten (Martes foina), with 800 photographs taken in 90 s.u. (38.4%), followed by the common genet (Genetta genetta), with 330 photographs in 38 s.u. (16.2%), the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), with 108 photographs in 28 s.u. (11.9%), the badger (Meles meles), with 4 photographs in 3 s.u. (1.3%), and the American mink (Neovison vison), with 1 photo in 1 s.u. (0.4%). Among the domestic species photographed were the cat (Felis catus), with 101 photographs in 17 s.u. (7.3%), and the dog (Canis familiaris), with 43 photographs in 12 s.u. (5.1%). Genets were detected between 175 and 1,206 m.a.s.l., but was absent from mountain tops in Montseny Park. Its probability of occurrence peaked between 400 and 600 m.a.s.l., progressively decreasing with altitude. Stone martens were located between 175 and 1,630 m.a.s.l., with peaks in the 400-600 m.a.s.l. range, progressively decreasing to 1,200 m.a.s.l., and increasing between 1,200 m.a.s.l. and the mountain tops. Foxes were detected between 302 and 1,318 m.a.s.l., with peaks between the 800 and 1,000 m.a.s.l., decreasing towards both extremes of the altitudinal gradient.