Search

The dietary preference of badgers Meles meles (Linnaeus, 1758) for earthworms and other food resources has been widely discussed. In the Mediterranean area, rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus, fruits (mainly olives Olea europaea) and arthropods are the most important foods. We describe badger dietary habits in a xeric Mediterranean area, comparing use and availability of olives and rabbits. Our results indicated that olives and rabbits are the predominant resources consumed, however we did not detect any evidence of specialisation when we compared consumption versus field availability. In the case of olives we found that their consumption is reduced when juvenile rabbits or figs Ficus carica are widely available, which is evidence against any specialisation in this resource. Figs appear to be a key food item for badgers; they were consumed in large amounts when available. Badgers in this xeric area can be viewed as generalist or facultative specialists, using the most profitable resource when available but shifting its preferences to other less profitable food resources when availability of other primary food resource are reduced. Our results also indicated the high suitability of some human agricultural uses (eg fruit orchards) for this species, especially in the otherwise harsh Mediterranean environments.

This study analyses differences in European rabbitOryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758) abundance between fragmented and continuous populations and the relative importance of habitat structure (micro- and macrohabitat) and isolation in determining the abundance pattern in fragmented and continuous areas of central Spain. The species was mainly restricted to mediterranean vegetation habitat. In fragmented areas, rabbit abundance was linked to scrubland cover but was not correlated to pasture/cropland cover. The model explained very little of the observed variance. Distance to continuous populations did not improve the model. Stochastic phenomena or unmeasured factors (predation level, soil type) could be acting in this context. Rabbits were more abundant in continuous areas than in fragmented ones. In continuous areas, rabbit abundance was associated with mosaics of pastures, scrublands, and croplands. These habitat features are linked to shelter and feeding requirements of rabbits. The model explained an important part of the observed variance. This supports that management and conservation strategies should be based on the landscape pattern in each situation.

We studied the habitat selection of badgers Meles meles (Linnaeus, 1758) in a mountainous area of central Spain through badger sett location, in relation to a series of variables related to the micro and macrohabitat structure considered potentially important for habitat requirements (food and shelter) were choosen.

Genet Genetta genetta Linnaeus, 1758 habitat selection was studied through midden locations in a mountain area of central Spain both at macrohabitat scale (tree, scrub, rock and pasture covers). Among the available habitats, genet preferred dehesas, due to their good trophic resources and shelter availability. Genet was scarce over 1200 meters, probably because of thermic restrictions. The most important microhabitat variables selected as faecal sites were rock-cover (refuges) and shrub-cover (feeding places and refuges). Other papameters of functional significance related to midden location were sociaal communication and territoriality. There was no selection both sites with a high degree of tree cover (microhabitat) and for sites near to watercourses.