Suchergebnisse

Al hablar Menéndez y Pelayo -con especial simpatía y encendido entusiasmo, ya que no con mucha originalidad- de don Julio Arboleda y de su obra poética, nos dice que este colombiano, "espíritu de rara distinción", fue "el tipo más caballeroso y aristocrático que en los sangrientos anales de la democracia americana pueda encontrarse"; que "su brillante existencia" se pareció a las de los guerreros soldados del siglo de oro español, "salvo que a Arboleda no fuere concedido morir con la muerte de los bravos, como a Garcilaso, a la luz del sol, asaltando una plaza de armas, como a su valor cuadraba, sino que cayó en una emboscada nocturna"; que sus poesías sueltas "son casi todas de amor o de política, impregnadas las más de suavísima ternura, de una como devoción petrarquesca y espiritualizada; rebosando las otras de férvida indignación, entusiasmo bélico, odio y execración a toda tiranía", por estar hechas de versos "que huelen a pólvora" y semejan "rugidos de león más que obras de arte"; y que su gloria literaria se cifra principalmente en suGonzalo de Oyón,que, "incompleto y todo, es el más notable ensayo de la poesía americana en la narración épica", si bien lo vence, "en pormenores de dicción y de estilo", la versión que delOrlandoenamoradohizo don Andrés Bello. (.)

Agricultural damages caused by wild boar Sus scrofa have given farmers a negative impression of protected areas and their management. To mitigate those damages and the social conflicts that they create, hunting battues involving experienced local hunters were used as a lethal population control method in a protected Iberian wetland. In the Ebro Sotos and Galachos Nature Reserve, Spain, between 1994 and 2011, 259 wild boars were culled during 476 battues. On average, battues involved six hunters and ten dogs, and culling efficiency (number of animals killed per animals seen during battues) was 39 %. The number of battues per year and the area of crop damages caused by wild boar were significantly negatively correlated, demonstrating battue efficiency to decrease damages. Moreover, intermittent population control through culling led to a substantial increase in the wild boar population, with an increase in crop damages. This underlines the importance of constant control. The numbers of hunters and dogs and the number of wild boar seen during battues were strongly correlated. To minimize the conflicts between farmers and the management of protected areas, we suggest that the inexpensive, volunteer-based population control program could be enhanced by incorporating stalking and mobile electric fences. ; This research was part of a long-term culling program in the Ebro Sotos and Galachos Nature Reserve that was implemented by the Regional Government of Aragon, which provided financial support.

In January 2000, the last Pyrenean wild goat, Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica, died in Ordesa National Park in the Spanish Pyrenees. Since that time, there has been an intense debate over the possibility of using individuals from other extant subspecies to restore the Iberian wild goat C. pyrenaica in the Pyrenees. In the late 1990s, some Iberian wild goats of the hispanica subspecies escaped from an enclosure in Guara Nature Park, also in the Spanish Pyrenees. Between 2006 and 2012, four annual counts were conducted to quantify the demographics of the population. This expanding but isolated population numbered at least 86 free-living Iberian wild goats in 2012, reproducing in the wild with a positive increasing trend (λ = 1.067). Given the small number of original animals that escaped, new releases are necessary to insure the genetic variability of the small population, but only if a clear decision on its conservation is finally made. In addition, the population is sympatric with a population of several hundred feral goats, C. hircus, which should be monitored closely, in order to detect any problems with competence or hybridization, although the latter has not been demonstrated in the wild. ; This research was financed by the Government of Aragon, through the Ecological Monitoring Program of Guara Nature Park. For their dedication, we thank the park rangers, technicians, and other volunteers who contributed to the field work. ; Peer Reviewed

Aim of study: Monitoring trends in animal populations is essential for the development of appropriate wildlife management strategies. Area of study: The area is situated in the southern Pyrenees (Aragon), Spain. Material and methods: To measure the abundance, population trends, sex ratio, and mortality of roe deer populations, we analyzed data from i) driven hunts for wild boar (hunting seasons 1995/96-2009/10, n = 1,417, ii) itineraries, which were used to calculate the KAI and density using DS (2003-2010, n = 310 itineraries), iii) roe deer carcass recoveries (2006-2010, n = 100), and iv) data from the deer hunting quota fulfillment (2006-2010, n = 325 hunted animals. Main results: Based on DS, in 2010, the average density of roe deer populations was 2.3 km-2 (CV 17%). Based on the KAI and the battues, the estimated average annual rate of increase was 5.8% and 4.3%, respectively. Based on the KAI and the carcass recoveries, the estimates of the population sex ratio were 0.75 (n = 641) and 0.9 (n = 100) males per female, respectively. Carcass recoveries indicated that mortality was highest in late winter and early spring. The average body masses and sizes of males and females were within the ranges reported for other Iberian and European populations. Research highlights: Monitoring should be continued in the Aragon population of roe deer, although larger sample sizes are required to increase the accuracy of estimates and assessments of the impact of management actions. ; We thank the rangers who performed the fieldwork and the wildlife technicians of the regional government. The regional government financed the monitoring of the roe deer populations. ; Peer Reviewed

Aim of study: To manage and conserve wild populations effectively, a good understating of population density is critical. During 2010, the density of Iberian wild goat Capra pyrenaica and mouflon Ovis aries were estimated. Area of study: The area is situated in Muela de Cortes Game Reservation (Spain), a Mediterranean forest plateau, after a mange Sarcoptes scabiei outbreak that affected both species. Material and methods: To measure the abundance, sex ratio and productivity of the Iberian wild goat and mouflon. Field work was conducted during spring (after parturition) and autumn (during rut) by walking along itineraries, using a Distance Sampling approach. Main results: Based on DS, the best relative fit of model and adjustment term for Iberian wild goat was hazard-rate cosine, based on the lowest AIC score. The average density for Iberian wild goat was 4 km-2 (95% CI: 2,3-6,9) (after parturition) and 3,6 km-2 (95% CI: 2-6.6) (during rut). Average estimation was 1,422 goats (95% CI: 813-2,487) after parturition and 1,308 during rut (95% CI: 725- 2,362). Mouflon best relative fit of model and adjustment term was uniform cosine after parturition, based on the lowest AIC score. The best relative fit of model and adjustment term for mouflon was hazard-rate cosine, based on the lowest AIC score. The average density was 6.8 mouflon km-2 (95% CI: 4.7-9,9) after parturition and 7,4 mouflon km-2 (95% CI: 4,4 -12,5) during rut. Average estimation was 2,440 mouflon after parturition (95% CI: 1,673-3,558) and 2,678 during rut (95% CI: 1,589-4,515). Research highlights: The area represents one of the largest continental free-living populations of mouflon in Europe and a relevant area for Iberian wild goat, where it has survived for centuries and spread into the East Iberia. This study suggests that the survey methods used are suitable and sustainable with available field personnel for quantifying changes in wild goat and mouflon populations, particularly in rugged forest environments. Monitoring should be continued and be part of the development of a comprehensive management programme for Iberian wild goat and mouflon. ; We are grateful to all the rangers of the MC for their valuable assistance in field work and itinerary design. This work is part of the long-term monitoring of both species in MC, financed by the Regional Government of Valencia. ; Peer Reviewed