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Vietnamese potbellied (VPB) pigs (Sus scrofa) are a common pet in North America and Europe, but their recent decrease in popularity has increased their abandonment. Our main aim was to identify potential cases of free–living VPB pigs in Spain through an in–depth Google search. We identified 42 cases of free–living VPB pigs distributed throughout the country. The number of free–living VPB pigs reported increased by year but the species abundance still seems to be low. Signs of VPB pig reproduction and possible hybrids between VPB pigs and wild boar or feral pigs have been also reported. Free–living VPB pigs could erode the gene pool of the Spanish wild boar population and exacerbate the damage (e.g. crop damage or spread of diseases) already caused by wild board. Urgent evaluation and adequate management of wild VPB pig sightings is needed to prevent their establishment in natural habitats.

Abstract Background The pathophysiology of toxico-nutritional optic neuropathies remains debated, with no clear understanding of the respective roles played by the direct alcohol toxicity, smoking and the often associated vitamin deficiencies, which are risk factors for optic neuropathy. Our aim was to investigate genetic susceptibility in patients with bilateral infraclinical optic neuropathy associated with chronic alcohol use disorder. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 102 visually asymptomatic patients with documented alcohol use disorder from a French reference center. Optic neuropathy was identified with optical coherence tomography (OCT), after which genetic susceptibility in the group of affected patients was investigated. Genetic testing was performed using panel sequencing of 87 nuclear genes and complete mitochondrial DNA sequencing. Results Optic neuropathy was detected in 36% (37/102) of the included patients. Genetic testing of affected patients disclosed two patients (2/30, 6.7%) with optic neuropathy associated with pathogenic variants affecting the SPG7 gene and five patients (5/30, 16.7%) who harbored variants of uncertain significance close to probable pathogenicity in the genes WFS1, LOXL1, MMP19, NR2F1 and PMPCA. No pathogenic mitochondrial DNA variants were found in this group. Conclusions OCT can detect presence of asymptomatic optic neuropathy in patients with chronic alcohol use disorder. Furthermore, genetic susceptibility to optic neuropathy in this setting is found in almost a quarter of affected patients. Further studies may clarify the role of preventative measures in patients who might be predisposed to avoidable visual loss and blindness.

Las pinturas sobre los ortostatos del dolmen de corredor de El Moreco (Huidobro, Burgos, España), sometidas durante tres milenios a las inclemencias climatológicas (ciclos hielo-deshielo, lluvia, etc.) y a las amenazas antrópicas, han perdido visibilidad hasta resultar prácticamente irreconocibles. El uso de técnicas de descorrelación para la mejora de imágenes ha facilitado el reconocimiento de la figura esquemática del antropomorfo sexuado y otras trazas, permitiendo su posterior análisis mediante fluorescencia de rayos X portátil. La comparación de los elementos-traza del pigmento rojo ocre presente sobre los ortostatos con los de nódulos ricos en goethita encontrados en el dolmen y sus alrededores sugiere que éstos puedan ser la materia prima utilizada en las pinturas esquemáticas. Se propone la zona de Las Loras, a 30-60 km del dolmen, como el origen más probable de estos nódulos de hierro y, en consecuencia, del pigmento a base de goethita.

Managing migratory game species is challenging and often leads to conflicts across areas or stakeholders. The European Turtle-dove Streptopelia turtur (TD), a declining migratory game bird, is currently subject to an adaptive harvest management plan in the European Union (EU), which has led to a temporary hunting moratorium in western Europe. We used Q-methodology to identify the discourses of hunters, hunting lobbyists and members of governmental agencies in Spain, the country with the largest TD hunting bags within EU, regarding the role of hunting and its regulation, including the moratorium, on species recovery prospects. Three discourses were identified: one that denies any involvement of hunting in the species population decline and thus considers the moratorium unnecessary; one that advocates for a moratorium but highlights the need for global strategies for it to be effective; and one that disputes the population decline, attributing the moratorium purely to environmentalists' pressures and false data. Larger differences were observed among hunters from areas with varying levels of TD hunting than among hunters that hunt or not TD, suggesting that discourses may be socially constructed and maintained. Hunting lobbyists' discourse was more uniformly against the moratorium than that of hunters as a whole, while governmental agencies had more nuanced perspectives. A point of consensus among discourses was the agreement on the need for transboundary coordination and a global conservation strategy incorporating habitat and hunting management approaches. These results emphasize the importance of increased transborder collaboration and effective communication strategies to mitigate conflicts about migratory game management. Key policy highlights: We analysed the discourses among Spanish hunters and governmental agencies about hunting regulations and the hunting moratorium of European Turtle-dove (Streptopelia turtur). Three distinct discourses emerged: one denies hunting's role in the species population decline and considers the moratorium unnecessary; another supports the moratorium but highlights the need for global strategies; the third disputes the population decline, attributing the moratorium purely to environmentalists' pressures and false data. Despite these differences, there is a consensus on the need for a global conservation strategy incorporating agriculture, habitat, and hunting management along with transboundary coordination. This consensus could form the basis for future conservation plans. Some discourses suggest policymakers and hunting regulations are influenced by environmentalist pressures, potentially causing hunters' resistance to accept such measures if they feel unrepresented by administrative officers, or even leading to implementation failure. Greater stakeholder integration in generating research-based knowledge can enhance acceptance of decision legitimacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most European rewilding initiatives are based on the recovery of large herbivores, particularly European bison Bison bonasus, aiming at restoring ecosystem processes and increase trophic complexity. The growing support for the release of bison as a wild species, and change its legal status, in Spain, as an ecological analogue of the extinct steppe bison Bison priscus, makes it an excellent example to reflect the limits of a rewilding biogeographically advisable. We discuss if this initiative could be justified from ecological, biogeographical, ethical, and legal reasons. Besides remarkable taxonomic and functional differences between both bison species, the Mediterranean environment, under the present and future climatic scenarios, does not suit the European bison. Furthermore, there is no evidence to support the presumption that the European bison was ever present in the Iberian Peninsula, with legal implications. We expect that our approach will be inspirational for similar assessments on rewilding initiatives globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The assessment of the human dimensions of wildlife reintroduction projects is essential for their success. To date, few longitudinal studies (if any) have compared attitudes and perceived impacts before and after human‐assisted large predator reintroduction. In this study, we evaluated public (n = 1582) and hunters' (n = 773) support and perceived benefits and concerns before and after the reintroduction of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) (2007–2008 and 2015–2016, respectively) in southern Spain through a telephone survey. Most respondents supported lynx reintroduction, although support was slightly lower among hunters. Furthermore, support remained very high some years after lynx release. Our findings also revealed that perceptions toward the majority of benefits and concerns did not change after lynx reintroduction, and that those supporting reintroduction perceived more benefits, while opponents were more concerned. This suggests that efforts should focus on those opponents to reintroduction to ensure recognition of the benefits associated with predator restoration, including new tourism opportunists and predator's ecological values. Our research also points at the need of studying more in depth the views of those who oppose to predator reintroduction and of decision‐makers (e.g., landowners or game managers) when poaching is still a risk for restored populations even if the social context is favorable, as in our case‐study.