Hunting as a driver of mammal introductions

BALLARI, SEBASTIAN A.; BARRIOS-GARCÍA, M. NOELIA; SANGUINETTI, JAVIER; PASTORE, HERNAN; CUEVAS, MARÍA FERNANDA

Introduced Invasive Mammals of Argentina

SAREM Series A Mammalogical Research Investigaciones Mastozoológicas Buenos Aires, Argentina

Año: 2023; p. 75 - 93

Hunting is an ancestral human practice to obtain food. However, in recent times, it hasbecome a highly lucrative economic activity and is a potential conservation tool to control populations of invasive introduced species. Ironically, though, hunting is also one of the most important drivers of mammal introductions around the world. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, at least 25 species of mammals from Europe and Asia have been introduced in game reserves in Argentina. After subsequent escapes and translocations, eight species of the introduced mammals now have wild populations outside these game reserves. Many have also become invasive, causing negative impacts to native biodiversity, economic activities and human health. These outcomes show that hunting reserves represent a source of introduced mammals, and that the lack of regulations and compliance with laws on hunting activities in the country is problematic. On the other hand, hunting on public lands, such as national parks, requires combining efforts between scientists and managers to improve legislation and management of these species in protected areas, where financial and organizational constraints may limit the scope and effectiveness of conservation actions. For example, in Argentina, two control programs provide successful experiences of carrying out inter-institutional participation between local residents, scientists and stakeholders: a short time hunting program to control red deer in Parque Nacional Lanín and a long-time hunting program to control wild boar in Parque Nacional El Palmar. Given the multi-faceted social, economic, health and ecological impacts of invasive introduced mammals, it is important to update, apply and reinforce the regulation of hunting activities, as well as consider hunting as a tool for the management of invasive introduced mammals.