Monitoring European wildcat Felis silvestris populations using scat surveys in central Spain: are population trends related to wild rabbit dynamics or to landscape features?

Abstract

Background Accurate data on the European wildcat Felis silvestris population trends are scarce for most of its range, despite this information being essential in assessing the threat status of the species. Moreover, ecological correlates of these population trends have never been evaluated. The aim of this study was to describe population trends of the European wildcat in a central region of Spain during the period 1997 to 2005 on both regional and local scales. Putative associations with several landscape features and wild rabbit population trajectories were also examined. Analyses were based on temporal variations of abundance indexes calculated for both species, which were derived from the respective frequencies of occurrence of scats along linear transects. Moreover, we propose monitoring wildcat populations across their range using scat surveys.

Results Results showed that wildcat populations remained stable between the two survey periods considered, and variations in wildcat abundances were not associated with either habitat features or changes in rabbit abundances. Moreover, results suggested that wildcat predation does not limit the growth capacity of rabbit populations.

Conclusions We propose standardized scat surveys as the most efficient methodology for monitoring wildcat populations across European regions. Problems with genetic analyses for correctly identifying carnivore scats are noted, which indicate that the best complementary method for monitoring wildcats is probably camera trapping (especially where hybridization is suspected). Furthermore, results showed that controlling wildcats to protect the rabbit populations is not justified.