Selectivity of mammalian predator control in managed hunting areas: an example in a Mediterranean environment

Predator control has frequently been applied in the management of private hunting areas in recent decades. This study analyzes capture records taken during predation control carried out in areas with hunting management, in a Mediterranean environment, in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula between 1991 and 1999. Whether predator control complied with the law during this period is discussed, and the efficacy and selectivity of the methods are evaluated. Results reveal that predation control did not always comply with the law. They also indicate that the methods used were not selective, as they caught legally protected species during part of the study period. The results are examined with a view to establishing a rational management program for hunting areas and species conservation.