Evolución demográfica de la cabra montés en Andalucía en los últimos 100 años

Abstract

The bibliographical data (Schimper 1848, Cabrera 1911, 1914, Chapman and Buck 1905, and even the more recent data from Rodríguez de la Zubia 1967) available on Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica) unveils a woeful situation in terms of number of individuals and population nucleus. However, a note of hope is sounded in terms of evolution and dispersion of populations over the last 10 years, when a different approach and data on the number of Spanish ibex hunted in Andalusia over the last 50 years are taken into account. The analysis properly distinguishes between certain milestones, including the designation of hunting reserves, the mange outbreak and the designation of Sierra Nevada National Park, which have led to strategic changes in Spanish ibex management measures and have had an impact on the current status of the populations. Prior to the creation of national reserves or hunting preserves, there are few references on the number of Spanish ibex captured for hunting or recreational purposes. The first records available date back to 1954 in Sierra de Cazorla. In the period from 1967 to 1987 (mange outbreak at Cazorla), the only records available reveal that 99 Spanish ibex trophies were validated in the four protected areas, each covering an average area of 2,072 km2 . In the period from 1988 to 1999 (designation of Sierra Nevada National Park), the Spanish ibex has started to expand its home range into the hunting preserves around the Reserve. Ninety-seven (97) trophies from 10 hunting preserves covering approximately 2,800 km2 were validated. The expansion trend has significantly picked up pace in the period from 2000 to 2008, with 151 trophies in 8 years in an area covering 2,800 km2 (excluding the National Park). The validated ibex trophies come from 41 hunting preserves, most of which are located in the vicinity of Sierra Nevada. The expansion of wild goats has fostered by changes in land use, abandonment of forests and forest management. The protection afforded by National Park purposes may explain the spectacular expansion of goats towards the immediate surroundings, including Gador, Lujar and Huetor. Thus, the density of the core nucleus has not been overreached and the possibility of hunting this species has increased, in particular for local hunting associations and preserves.