Info: Zenodo’s user support line is staffed on regular business days between Dec 23 and Jan 5. Response times may be slightly longer than normal.

Published August 8, 2016 | Version Unformatted accepted manuscript (after the embargo)
Journal article Open

Are you aware of what you are doing? Asking Italian hunters about an invasive alien species they are introducing

Creators

  • 1. Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Istituto di Management, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127, Pisa, Italy
  • 2. Regione Toscana, settore Caccia e Pesca, Corso Gramsci 110, 51100, Pistoia, Italy
  • 3. Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Romana 17, 50127, Firenze, Italy

Description

The human-driven spread of Invasive Alien Species is a major concern for conservation biologists.
Since hunters are spreading invasive Eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) in Italy, we
investigated their beliefs about the species through semi-qualitative questionnaires in Tuscany, an
area where cottontails have been occurring since 2000. Most respondents regarded invasive
cottontails as a subspecies of the native European wild rabbit. Native European hares were highly valued as a game and perceived as a declining species, whereas no clear reason explained the hunting of cottontails and their population trend. We found no relationship between perceiving
hares as a declining game and supporting the introduction of cottontails, or hunting cottontails.
Respondents supported or opposed the eradication of cottontails according to their beliefs about the negative impact of the species over native hares. Hunters seem to have unclear ideas about
cottontails and their impact and hold stable and positive attitudes towards the conservation of native hares. Cottontails are unlikely to replace hares as a game in the short term but may become a substitute game in case of a severe reduction in the abundance of hares. Our results could enable wildlife managers to plan eradication schemes to counteract invasive cottontails without fearing any strong opposition by hunters, provided that effective conservation plans are available for native game species. Hunters could also be engaged in large-scale monitoring programs based on hunting bags, as an encouraging number of respondents record killed cottontails on their hunting card. Future studies should broaden the investigation of hunters’ and angler’s perception of invasive alien species, as these two leisure activities are responsible for their spread worldwide.

Files

Preprint_MsJNC_Cottontail2016(1).pdf

Files (1.7 MB)

Name Size Download all
md5:8cc7201fbc0b998f59069dbecb45e6db
1.7 MB Preview Download

Additional details

References

  • Andreu, J., & Vilà, M. (2010). Risk analysis of potential invasive plants in Spain. Journal for Nature Conservation, 18, 34–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2009.02.002
  • Banha, F., Ilhéu, M., & Anastácio, P. M. (2015). Angling web forums as an additional tool for detection of new fish introductions: The first record of Perca fluviatilis in continental Portugal. Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems, 416(3).
  • Bayliss, H. R., Wilcox, A., Stewart, G. B., & Randall, N. P. (2012). Does research information meet the needs of stakeholders? Exploring evidence selection in the global management of invasive species. Evidence & Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and Practice, 8(1), 37–56.
  • Bertolino, S., Ingegno, B., & Girardello, M. (2011). Modelling the habitat requirements of invasive Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) introduced to Italy. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 57, 267–274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10344-010-0422-9
  • Bertolino, S., Di Montezemolo, N. C., & Perrone, A. (2013). Habitat use of coexisting introduced eastern cottontail and native European hare. Mammalian Biology, 78, 235–240. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2013.02.002
  • Cambray, J. A. (2003). Impact on indigenous species biodiversity caused by the globalisation of alien recreational freshwater fisheries. Aquatic biodiversity. pp. 217–230. Netherlands: Springer.
  • Capizzi, D., Mortelliti, A., Amori, G., Colangelo, P., & Rondinini, C. (2012). I mammiferi del lazio.. http://www.arplazio.it/schede ∼ extra&sx-pp+id pp-46+id settore-3+id-2891.htm Accessed 20.06.16
  • Carvalho, M., Palmeirim, J. M., Rego, F. C., Sole, N., Santana, A., & Fa, J. E. (2014). What motivates hunters to target exotic or endemic species on the island of São Tomé, Gulf of Guinea. Oryx, 49(2), 278–286.
  • Desbiez, A. L. J., Keroughlian, A., Piovezan, U., & Bodment, R. E. (2011). Invasive species and bushmeat hunting contributing to wildlife conservation: The case of feral pigs in a Neotropical wetland. Oryx, 45(01), 78–83.
  • Dickson, B., Hutton, J., & Adams, W. A. (Eds.). (2009). Recreational hunting, conservation and rural livelihoods: science and practice. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Dolman, P. M., & Wäber, K. (2008). Ecosystem and competition impacts of introduced deer. Wildlife Research, 35(3), 202–214.
  • Drake, D. A. R., Mercader, R., Dobson, T., & Mandrak, N. E. (2015). Can we predict risky human behaviour involving invasive species? A case study of the release of fishes to the wild. Biological Invasions, 17(1), 309–326.
  • Gallo, M. G., Tizzani, P., Peano, A., Rambozzi, L., & Meneguz, P. G. (2005). Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) as carrier of dermatophyte fungi. Mycopathologia, 160, 163–166. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11046-005-6619-x
  • García-Llorente, M., Martín-López, B., González, J. A., Alcorlo, P., & Montes, C. (2008). Social perceptions of the impacts and benefits of invasive alien species: Implications for management. Biological Conservation, 141(12), 2969–2983.
  • Hansen, H. P., Peterson, M. N., & Jensen, C. (2012). Demographic transition among hunters: A temporal analysis of hunter recruitment dedication and motives in Denmark. Wildlife Research, 39(5), 446–451.
  • Hargrove, J. S., Weyl, O. L., Allen, M. S., & Deacon, N. R. (2015). Using tournament angler data to rapidly assess the invasion status of alien sport fishes (Micropterus spp.) in Southern Aafrica. PLoS One, 10(6), e0130056.
  • Hayslette, S. E., Armstrong, J. B., & Mirarchi, R. E. (2001). Mourning dove hunting in Alabama: Motivations, satisfactions, and sociocultural influences. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 6(2), 81– 95.
  • Hulme, P. E. (2009). Trade, transport and trouble: Managing invasive species pathways in an era of globalization. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46(1), 10–18.
  • Kettunen, M., Genovesi, P., Gollasch, S., Pagad, S., Starfinger, U., ten Brink, P., et al. (2009). Technical support to EU strategy on invasive species (IAS) – Assessment of the impacts of IAS in Europe and the EU. Final report to the European Commission, Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), Brussels, Belgium., 40 pp. + Annexes.
  • Kolar, C. S., & Lodge, D. M. (2001). Progress in invasion biology: Predicting invaders. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 16(4), 199–204.
  • Krumpal, I. (2013). Determinants of social desirability bias in sensitive surveys: A literature review. Quality & Quantity, 47(4), 2025–2047.
  • Lavazza, A., Cavadini, P., Barbieri, I., Tizzani, P., Pinheiro, A., Abrantes, J., et al. (2015). Field and experimental data indicate that the eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is susceptible to infection with European brown hare syndrome (EBHS) virus and not with rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) virus. Veterinary Research, 46(13), 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13567-015-0149-4
  • Lockwood, J. L. (1999). Using taxonomy to predict success among introduced avifauna: Relative importance of transport and establishment. Conservation Biology, 13(3), 560–567.
  • Manfredo, M. J., Teel, T. L., & Henry, K. L. (2009). Linking society and environment: A multilevel model of shifting wildlife value orientations in the western United States. Social Science Quarterly, 90(2), 407–427.
  • Manfredo, M. J. (2008). Who cares about wildlife? Springer.
  • Mankin, P. C., & Warner, R. E. (1999). A regional model of the eastern cottontail and land-use changes in Illinois. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 63(3), 956–963.
  • Mazza, G., Aquiloni, L., Inghilesi, A. F., Giuliani, C., Lazzaro, L., Ferretti, G., et al. (2015). Aliens just a click away: The online aquarium trade in Italy. Management of Biological Invasions, 6(3), 253–261.
  • McNeely, J. A. (2001). The great reshuffling: human dimensions of invasive alien species. IUCN. www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/142047.pdf
  • Milner, J. M., Bonenfant, C., Mysterud, A., Gaillard, J. M., Csányi, S., & Stenseth, N. C. (2006).
  • Temporal and spatial development of red deer harvesting in Europe: Biological and cultural factors. Journal of Applied Ecology, 43(4), 721–734.
  • Monaco, A., Genovesi, P., & Middleton, A. (2013). European code of conduct on hunting and IAS. Council of Europe., 26 pp.
  • Moro, M., Fischer, A., Czajkowski, M., Brennan, D., Lowassa, A., Naiman, L. C., et al. (2013). An investigation using the choice experiment method into options for reducing illegal bushmeat hunting in western Serengeti. Conservation Letters, 6(1), 37–45.
  • Myrberget, S. (1988). Hunting statistics as indicators of game population size and composition. Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, 5(3), 289–301.
  • Mysterud, A., Tryjanowski, P., & Panek, M. (2006). Selectivity of harvesting differs between local and foreign roe deer hunters: Trophy stalkers have the first shot at the right place. Biology Letters, 2(4), 632–635.
  • Nuno, A., & St John, F. A. (2015). How to ask sensitive questions in conservation: A review of specialized questioning techniques. Biological Conservation, 189, 5–15.
  • Pimentel, D., Zuniga, R., & Morrison, D. (2005). Update on the environmental and economic costs associated with alien-invasive species in the United States. Ecological Economics, 52, 273–288.
  • R Core Team (2016). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL https://www.R-project.org/.
  • Ryan, E. L., & Shaw, B. (2011). Improving hunter recruitment and retention. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 16(5), 311–317.
  • Santilli, F. (2007). Factors affecting brown hare (Lepus europaeus) hunting bags in Tuscany region (central Italy). Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy, 17(2), 143–153.
  • Selge, S., & Fischer, A. (2011). How people familiarize themselves with complex ecological concepts—Anchoring of social representations of invasive non-native species. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 21(4), 297–311.
  • Selge, S., Fischer, A., & Van der Wal, R. (2011). Public and professional views on invasive non- native species—A qualitative social scientific investigation. Biological Conservation, 144(12), 3089–3097.
  • Silvano, F., Acquarone, C., & Cucco, M. (2000). Distribution of the eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus in the province of Alessandria. Hystrix the Italian Journal of Mammalogy, 11(2), 75–78.
  • Simberloff, D., Martin, J.-L., Genovesi, P., Maris, V., Wardle, D. A., Aronson, J., et al. (2013). Impacts of biological invasions: What's what and the way forward. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 28, 58–66.
  • Singh, N. J., Danell, K., Edenius, L., & Ericsson, G. (2014). Tackling the motivation to monitor: Success and sustainability of a participatory monitoring program. Ecology and Society, 19(4), 7.
  • Solomon, J. N., Gavin, M. C., & Gore, M. L. (2015). Detecting and understanding non-compliance with conservation rules. Biological Conservation, 189, 1–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.04.028
  • Tizzani, P., Gallo, M. G., Peano, A., Min, A. M., Pleite, C. M. C., & Meneguz, P. G. (2007). Dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum canis in Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). European Journal of Wildlife Research, 53, 238–240. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10344-007-0088-0
  • Vanderhoeven, S., Piqueray, J., Halford, M., Nulens, G., Vincke, J., & Mahy, G. (2011). Perception and understanding of invasive alien species issues by nature conservation and horticulture professionals in Belgium. Environmental Management, 47(3), 425–442.
  • Vaske, J. J. (2008). Survey research and analysis: applications in parks, recreation and human dimensions. State College, PA: Venture Publishing.
  • Vidus-Rosin, A., Meriggi, A., Cardarelli, E., Serrano-Perez, S., Mariani, M. C., Corradelli, C., et al. (2011). Habitat overlap between sympatric European hares (Lepus europaeus) and Eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) in northern http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13364-010-0005-x
  • Ward, K. J., Stedman, R. C., Luloff, A. E., Shortle, J. S., & Finley, J. C. (2008). Categorizing deer hunters by typologies useful to game managers: A latent-class model. Society and Natural Resources, 21(3), 215–229.
  • Zanet, S., Palese, V., Trisciuoglio, A., Alonso, C. C., & Ferroglio, E. (2013). Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infection in invasive eastern cottontail rabbits Sylvilagus floridanus in northwestern Italy. Veterinary Parasitology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2013. 05.014