Miguel Delibes-Mateos

The Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) is a medium-size carnivore of African origin, with a distribution in Europe restricted to the southwestern quarter of the Iberian peninsula. The lack of fossil records led to think for longtime that its arrival to Europe was result of human introductions in historical times. However, recent genetic studies support that it reached naturally the Iberian Peninsula in prehistoric times. The species distribution has expanded northwards and eastwards from the southwestern Iberian quadrant in the last decades. Nevertheless, Castilla-La Mancha is the only Iberian region where no studies on its expansion have been carried out. The hunting sector has raised claims in the last years for the control of mongoose populations to be authorized, based on their perceived damage to small-game species, according to the sector. This research project aims to generate scientific knowledge on the situation of the Egyptian mongoose populations in Castilla-La Mancha, its hypothetical geographic and numeric expansion, the impact on some game species and the perceptions from different stakeholders. Several methodologies will be employed, including: questionnaires to different stakeholders, field surveys, models of distribution and spread, live capture, marking and radio-tracking of mongooses, density estimates of mongooses and their prey, scat analyses and estimates of predation impact. The final aim of the project is to provide the regional administration with a scientific basis, which allows making compatible the preservation of mongoose populations with the socioeconomic activities of the region. The research team of the Project is integrated by ecologists and sociologists from the Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC) and the Institute for Advanced Social Studies (IESA) of CSIC, INIA and Málaga University.