Effects of Recreation and Hunting on Flushing Distance of Capercaillie

Abstract

: The capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in Central Europe is an endangered species of grouse that is thought to be highly susceptible to human disturbance, possibly causing local populations to decline. We investigated the behavioral response of capercaillie in the Black Forest, Germany, and the French Pyrenees to an off‐trail hiker by measuring flushing distances. Flushing distance varied with capercaillie sex, visibility of the hiker, intensity of winter tourism, and hunting pressure. Independent of the study area, males flushed at consistently longer distances than females, and lower visual blocking between bird and hiker resulted in longer flushing distances. Capercaillie flew at longer distances from an approaching hiker in areas with high intensity of winter tourism or hunting pressure than in undisturbed areas. We recommend the establishment of regulations requiring hikers to stay on trails and to close trails where intertrail distances fall below 100 m (90% of all flushing events appeared within 50 m). Furthermore, planting or preserving evergreen conifer trees in dense rows along critical parts of disturbance sources, reducing the degree of visibility between capercaillie and recreationists would increase habitat for capercaillie in forests with predictable recreation activities.

The Changes in Rural and Forest Landscape and Their Use in the Slovenian Alps in the Last Centuries - A "Back to Nature" Tourism with Impacts, a Case of Western Capercaillie

“…In the last three decades the tourism pressure in Alps started to stagnate or even decrease, causing an increase in competition between tourist centres and a subsequent increase of investments and diversification of the activities aimed at attracting more visitors (Jeršič 1999). As a consequence we have observed an increasing pressure on and in many cases also the destruction of some Alpine ecosystems for the sake of tourism promotion and development (Čas 2010;Thiel et al 2007). …”

“…In addition to the economic activities involving sustainable use of natural resources in the Alpine area (forestry, agriculture, hunting, fishing, hydropower and small hydropower (Čas 1999, 2006Eiberle 1984;Storch 1999Storch , 2007Thiel et al 2007). …”

“…Thiel et al 2007Thiel et al , 2008 and in the mountains of South-Eastern Europe (Gačić et al 2009;Radović et al 2003;Raguž & Grubešić 2006;Petrov 2008;Zubić 2009) and other regions of Europe (Storch 2007).…”

“…Western capercaillie is considered a rare and endangered umbrella species of temperate and boreal forests in Europe (Angelstam 2004;Čas 2001b;Sachot et al 2003;Suter et al 2002). Several different habitat disturbances were recognised as causes of Western capercaillie decline in temperate Europe (Adamič 1987;Čas 2001a, 2010Eiberle 1984;Klaus et al 1997;Saniga 2002Saniga , 2004Storch 1999Storch , 2007Thiel et al 2007). The populations at the southern edge of the species' distribution range have suffered the most severe population reduction (Adamič 1987;Bajc et al 2011;Blanco-Fontao et al 2009;Čas 1999, 2010Cattadori & Hudson 2000;Gonzales & Ena 2011;Poolo et al 2005;Radović et al 2003;Quedo et al 2006;Storch 2007;Zeiler 2001;Zubić 2009), and shrinkage of habitat in the last decades due to forest and climate change (Anič et al 2009;Čas 2006;Kutnar & Kobler 2011).…”

Differential responses of ground dwelling arthropods to ski-piste restoration by hydroseeding

“…Wilson et al 2005;Pauli et al 2007), as well as increasing human disturbance (Arlettaz et al 2007;Thiel et al 2007;Patthey et al 2008). Skiing, in particular, represents a significant threat to local biodiversity because it leads to changes in land use that can significantly modify the characteristics of a habitat.…”