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PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RABBIT AND LYNX IN SOUTHERN SPAIN by P.M. ROGERS * Department of Zoology, Uniuersify of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NtG 2W1, Canada The Lynx Lynx pardina (Temminck) is one of the most impnr tant predators of the Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus L. in the Cota Dofiana, Sevilla, Spain (Valverde, 1960, 1967). The Lynx is listed as an endangered species by l.lJ.C.N. (Goodwin and Holloway, 1972). To provide further information on the relationship between the two species, Lynx faeces were collected whenever they were seen in the Reserva Biologica de Dofiana as part of a 1973 field project (Rogers, 1974). They were numbered, their location noted and subsequently plotted on a map of the reserve. Faecal analysis for food habits was done by Snr. D. Miguel Delibes of the Estaci6n Biol6gica de Donana. Rabbits were counted from horseback along 8 transects (fig. 1), each of which was rMden six times in alternate directions in bath spring and fall. The counts were converted to indices of density using Hayne's (1949) method (Overton, 1969). The land of the reserve was stratified according to the landscape approach to land classification (Mabbutt, 1968 ; Rogers, 1974). Three hundred and fifty-one Lynx faeces were collected from December 1972 to October 1973. Of the faeces collected, 84 % contained Rabbit remains, 11 % duck remains and 3 % small mammal remains (Table I). Evidence of prey larger than Rabbit occurred in only 3 % of the faeces. Birds other than ducks. were found in 3 % of the faeces. Distribution of faeces throughout the reserve showed a similar pattern to that of rabbits (fig. 1). Typt cally, faeces were found closely grouped on an open patch of ground, often on tracks, especially those infrequently used by man, and frequently on top of or, less often, in the immediate * Present address Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat, Arles, France. La Terre et la Vie, vol. 32, 1978. Le Sambuc, 13200 ------ - - - ----------- --------�--- 13 significont nos. off, but to M A close transect 0 R R A ;f _ _ _ , 1- - ,.. ----_ I I 4 j_ N9s of lynx faeces _.1 -0 --- 1500 ---Figure M 1. Index of rabbit n9s - Distribution of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) using an index of in the 2 3 Kilometres - and of Lynx (Lynx pardina) faeces found on or near transects 1 numbers Reserva from Biol6gica de transect Doiiana, counts Spain. of animals 1973. vicinity of rabbit warrens. Such warrens almost always showed positive sign of predation on rabbits (e.g. excavation of nesting burrows, rabbit fur) and were never entirely undisturbed. TABLE 1. - Occurrence of food species in Lynx (Lynx pardina) December 1972 to October 1973, Coto Doii.ana, Spain. No. of faeces with prey remains.n=351 Species Deer Dama dama & � elaphus % of total faeces 2.6 cuniculus 84.o Small mammals Eliomys, Apodemus & Rattus spp. Sylvaemus), (= 3.1 Rabbit Oryctolagus 1 0.3 1 0.3 40 11.4 Fartridge Alectoris � 4 1.1 Birds - species unidentified 5 1.1+ Hare Lepus capensis Mongoose Herpestes Duck (= europaeus) ichneumon � spp. Insects (all Coleoptera) 9 16 Plant material a 2.6 4.6 includes 5 of faecal pellets only bincludes 18 identified as non-adult The Lynx is thus heavily dependent upon the Rabbit for food. This dependence is most evident from the faecal analyses (Table 1), and is given additional emphasis by the similarity of the population distributions of Rabbit and Lynx as represented in figure 1. Delibes et al (1975) have collected additional data to support the finding that rabbits form a high proportion of the Lynx diet. The proportion increases in summer. Thus as other prey, probably migratory birds in particular, become scarce the Rabbit assumes a greater importance for Lynx survival, possibly contributing to the observed decrease in Rabbit numbers from their spring high (Rogers, 1974). The greater numbers of al.terna tive Lynx prey to be found on the border of El Matorral and Las Marismas land systems (Rogers, 1974) probably account for the relatively smaller numbers of rabbits to numbers of Lynx faeces in the east part of the reserve compared to elsewhere (fig. 1). Anas sp. particularly are more common toward the east border of the reserve. - 85 - These results indicate that the Lynx and Rabbit in Mediter ranean Europe may have evolved an ecological interdependence similar to the well known relationship between Lynx L. cana densis and Snowshoe hare Lepus americanus (M acLulich, 1937; and others), a possibility with critical implications for manage ment and conservation. SUMMARY A collection of 351 Lynx (Lynx pardina) faeces made from December 1972 to October 1973 in the Resema Biol6gica de Dona na (Spain) was analysed for food remains. Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) remains were found in 84 %, duck (Anas spp.) remains in 11 % and small mammal remains in 3 % of the faeces. Distri bution of faeces showed a similar pattern to that of rabbits as determined by sight counts along transects. It is suggested that Lynx and Rabbit in Europe may have evolved an ecological rela tionship similar to that between L. canadensis and Snowshoe hare Lepus americanus in North America. RESUME De décembre 1972 à octobre 1973, 351 crottes de Lynx (Lynx pardina) ont été collectées et analysées dans la Reserva Biol6gica de Donana (Espagne) en vue de déterminer le régime de cet ani mal. Des restes de lapin (Oryctolagus cuniculus) ont été identifiés dans 84 % des déjections et ceux de canards (Anas spp.) et de micromammifères dans 11 % et 3 % respectivement. Les dénombrements directs sur transects ont montré que la distribution spatiale des crottes de Lynx et de lapins était la même. Il semblerait donc que la relation de ces deux espèces en Europe soit la même que celle qui existe en Amérique du Nord entre L. canadensis et le Lièvre variable (Lepus americanus). ACKNO'WLEDGEMENTS 1 would like to thank Sr. M. Delibes for doing the faecal analyses, Dr D.M. Lavigne, University of Guelph for critical reading of the manuscript and Professor K. Myers, University of Guelph, for technical advice. The work formed part of a thesis presented to the University of Guelph, Canada and was made possible through Myers. National Research .Council of Canada support to me and - 86- Professor K. RIBLIOGRAPHY DELIBES, M., PALACIOS, F., G A RZON, J. and CASTROVIEJO, J. (1975). - Notes sur l'alimentation et la biologie du Lynx pardelle Lynx pardina (Temminck, 1924), en Espagne. Mammalia, 39 : 387-393. GooowIN, H.A. and HoLLOWAY, C.W. (compilers) (1972). - Red Data Book, Vol. 1 : Mammalia. International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Na tural Resources, Morges, Switzerland. HAYNE, D.W. (1949). - An examination of the strip census method for estimating animal populations. J. Wildl. Manage, 13 : 145-157. MABBUTT, J.A. (1968). - Review of concepts of land classification. In Land Eva luation CG.A. Stewart, ed.), pp. 11-28. bourne. Macmillan Co. of Australia, Mel D.A. (1937). - Fluctuations in the numbers of the Varying hare (Lepus americanus). Univ. Toronto Studies, Biol. Ser., N° 43. MACLULICH, ÜVERTON, W.S. (1969). - Estimating the numbers of animals in wildlife popula tions. In : Wildlife Management Techniques, R.H. Giles ed., pp. 403-455. The Wildlife Society, Washington D.C. ROGERS, P.M. (1974). - Land classification and patterns of animal distribution.s in the management of national parks. Coto Donan.a, Spa'in. M. Sc. thesis, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. de Las Marismas del Guadalquivir. Arch. Inst. Aclim. Almeria Esp. 9, 166 p. VALVERDE, J.A. (1960). - Vertebrados VALVERDE, J.A. (1967). - Estructura de una comunidad mediterranea de vertebrados terrestres. Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. Mono graficas de Ciencia Maderna 76, 219 pp. - 87 -