Despite the importance of rearing wild lagomorphs in captivity for hunting and predator conservation in Spain, little is known about this production sector. Taking official data into account, in this work the number and distribution of farms in Spain and the possible number of animals produced were analysed during the period 2005-2010. In 2010, 114 wild rabbit farms were widely distributed throughout the country (especially Cataluña, Galicia, Andalucía and Castilla La Mancha regions), while 21 hare farms were registered, the majority in Extremadura, Castilla La Mancha and Andalucía. A possible production figure of 225 000-265 000 rabbits and 1 034 hares was estimated in 2010. Game farms of wild lagomorphs are established in Spain and placement would be related to a high demand for hunting and predator conservation in certain regions. Although more research is needed, the number of animals produced would be an important part of the total animals released to the wild.

This paper studies the visits of wild fauna, the influence of vegetal cover and fencing at water site election, and consumption tendency in water troughs designed for small game species distributed in an agricultural Mediterranean area during the summers from 2002 to 2005. Red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa), lagomorphs (Oryctolagus cuniculus, Lepus granatensis), and other autochthonous species (birds and wild canids) visited water sources throughout the study. The number of visits by target species was higher than nongame. Lagomorphs preferred protected troughs (with surrounding vegetal cover) while partridges opted for open ones (without cover). Fencing had no effect on the visits of birds and lagomorphs, but it did reduce the visits of wild canids. Harsh climatic conditions determined an increase in water consumption in summer. Before designing a water trough device for this fauna, managers should consider that (1) target and non-target species could try to make use of it, (2) water points should be adapted to target species self protection, (3) fencing can prevent undesirable visitors (particularly predators), and (4) water requirements increase in the harsh moments of the dry season.

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The activity of 2 populations of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus, L. 1758), consisting of 14 adults (>9 mo of age) each (4 males and 10 females), was analysed over 2 consecutive years. Rabbits were captured in the wild and kept in 2 separate enclosures of 0.5 ha, with each enclosure divided into 2 zones: a smaller area where warrens were located (breeding area) and a larger area where food and water were provided (feeding area). Seven rabbits in each enclosure were individually tagged with a microchip (2 males and 5 females) and, after installing 2 detection devices, it was possible to identify which of the 2 areas they were located in and record the length of time spent in each. To regulate the size of the breeding population, young rabbits produced in the enclosures were captured and removed regularly. Considering the number of movements between areas and the time spent in the feeding area, a circadian activity pattern was found, reporting 2 maximum activity peaks coinciding with twilight (18.35% of the total movements, 6-8 a.m.) and daybreak (22.95%, 7-10 p.m.) while activity was dramatically decreased during the midday hours (1.86%, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.). Rabbits displayed a seasonal pattern throughout the year, with maximum activity levels during winter (45.76% of the total movements, January-March) and spring (42.91%, April-June), which could be related to higher reproductive activity at this time of the year as a higher breeding output was reported in June and September. The levels of activity exhibited by males (13.44% daily activity rate) were significantly higher than those displayed by females (9.80%). No significant differences were found regarding time spent on the feeding area in relation to season or gender. The average duration of each foray to the feeding area was higher during the summer, higher for females than males and higher during the middle of the night than the rest of the day.

In some regions of Spain, hunting grounds conduct management targeting the European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur), a commonly hunted species, and unsustainable harvesting levels at these sites have been identified as one of the factors responsible for the species’ decline across its range. In hunting grounds where food was provided, we estimated the local turtle dove abundance before the hunting season, productivity (juvenile/adult ratio) and harvesting levels using harvest data from managed grounds over 4 years (2009, 2015, 2019 and 2020). Compared to previous research, a higher productivity value was found (median 1.67, range 1.24–4.15) in grounds providing more food for a longer period. We calculated that the harvesting rate should not exceed 37% of the estimated turtle dove population size (35–45%). Significant differences were found between the estimated local turtle dove abundance using a removal sampling protocol and the number of birds observed by hunters before the hunting season, which suggests that in a high proportion of grounds, the latter method may have led to bird overestimation and overharvesting. Our research supports the current European Union’s harvest management plan to promote sustainable hunting in grounds where targeted management is conducted.

A study was conducted in 2008–2010 to gain knowledge on the status and ecology of the endangered subspecies of grey partridge (Perdix perdix hispaniensis), at its southernmost range edge. From an historic breeding range of 28,300 ha, 15 different coveys (adults with juveniles) were observed in an area comprising 5,550 ha, with an estimated minimum autumn population size of 103–113 birds and a maximum of 163–181 birds. Spring pair density was estimated at 2.3 pairs/1,000 ha, and when considering only coveys, 6.8 partridges/1,000 ha. The majority of birds were located at an altitude above 1,690 m a.s.l., mainly in mountain shrubland (especially Calluna vulgaris and Erica spp.). Habitat loss was the most important threat for the species’ conservation. In conclusion, efforts should prioritize urgent habitat recovery and monitoring in order to change the fate of the species.

Recreational hunting can have positive consequences on biodiversity conservation, but in many countries the number of hunters is declining. This downward trend threatens the sustainability of an important human activity that can be used as a tool for wildlife management and biodiversity conservation. On the other hand, in developed countries there is an upward trend in the number of female hunters. In this study, we analyzed women and men’s hunting preferences in Spain, focusing our attention on the game species they were interested in. We found that female hunters were more interested than male hunters in hunting big game species. We discussed potential consequences of our results on the sustainability of hunting and biodiversity conservation.