Improve the conservation status of wild rabbit populations (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and at the same time, prevent damage to agriculture purpose ‘iberconejo‘ is an international LIFE project led by environmental group WWF, which includes representatives of all social agents in both Portugal and Spain, including the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation (RFEC).
hare a iberian endemism and one Key species in the Mediterranean forestwhere It plays a fundamental role, as it is prey for about forty species of predators.Among them are the Iberian lynx and the imperial eagle.
Also a High socioeconomic interest as it is the main component of small game and the most damaging to agriculture.
Rabbit populations in the Iberian Peninsula have declined by more than 90% in the last seventy years due to changes in land use and diseases. This caused the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to declare it as a species.in danger of extinction“In 2019.
paradoxical, Population numbers are very high in certain parts of the Iberian Peninsula.enough to cause significant damage to agricultural lands.
The LIFE Iberconejo project, which will run until December 2024, is an “indispensable step” for rabbit populations to stabilize and restore their key role in the ecosystem, but also an “indispensable step” for the promotion of this important Mediterranean species.not harming agriculture”, stated their supporters.
Damage reduction
This is a management issue that needs to be addressed from all angles.participatory governance structureAs such, it has 15 organizations from both Spain and Portugal with widely diverse and complementary profiles in common, including conservation associations, wildlife managers, scientists, farmers, hunters and administrations.
Among the aims of the LIFE Iberconejo project know the current state of hare populationsthe reality of health status and economic impacts on the Iberian Peninsula.
To this end, the coordinated adoption of standardized protocols for monitoring rabbit populations Necessary personnel will be trained for the implementation of the said protocols.
Work will be done in parallel. compilation of good regional management practicesfor both to encourage populationswhen it comes Harm reduction At the same time, a governance system will be established that progressively includes all key actors, beyond those involved in the project, and all administrations with competence in managing species.
“Iberconejo will lay the foundations for the project. long-term management of hares. While it is impossible to appear to be solving the complex issues affecting the species, or to expect a global recovery in their populations over the period covered by the project, the reality is that neither is possible without the solutions that Iberconejo will develop and implement. effective management this allows us to protect our ecosystems while reducing the associated social conflicts”, stressed Ramón Pérez de Ayala, WWF coordinator of LIFE Iberconejo.
“Ecosystem Engineer”
The main reason for the decline of rabbits is diseases.: myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease, very high mortality rates reaching 90%. Also they land use changes and intensive farmingIt has changed the structure of the landscape and removed the mosaic habitats to which this animal is attached.
rabbit countsecosystem engineer”, for its ability to change its environment and therefore the availability of resources for itself and other species. With its mechanical action during the digging of nurseries, it contributes to improving the quality of the soil with its excrement, by changing the structure of grass and bushes and seed dispersal.
type native to the Iberian Peninsula. Its original distribution includes Spain, Portugal, France, Morocco and Algeria. It is found on almost the entire Peninsula and also on the Canary and Balearic Islands. Right now, spread over most of the regionAlthough rare on the Cantabrian coast.
it happened attached Almost all of the continent of Europe, the United Kingdom, the Azores and the Canary archipelago, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America and North Africa. assumes big pest in many of these areas where it behaves like an invasive species because it is devoid of predators.
The project is coordinated by WWF Spain and its partners include, inter alia, the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity and Habitat, the Fisheries Resources Research Institute (IREC-CSIC), the Institute for Advanced Social Studies (IESACSIC), the University Foundation of San Pablo CEU, agriculture and hunting organizations and the Juntas de Andalucía. various governments such as , Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura.
‘SOS Bunny’ project: https://conejowwf.es/