Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://biore.bio.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3848
Title: European agreements for nature conservation need to explicitly address wolf-dog hybridisation
Authors: Salvatori, Valeria
Donfrancesco, Valerio
Trouwborst, Arie
Boitani, Luigi
Linnell, John D.C.
Alvares, Francisco
Åkesson, Mikael
Balys, Vaidas
Blanco, Juan Carlos
Chiriac, Silviu
Ćirović, Duško 
Groff, Claudio
Guinot-Ghestem, Murielle
Huber, Djuro
Kojola, Ilpo
Kusak, Josip
Kutal, Miroslav
Iliopulos, Yorgos
Ionescu, Ovidiu
Majic Skrbinsek, Aleksandra
Mannil, Peep
Marucco, Francesca
Melovski, Dime
Mysłajek, Robert W.
Nowak, Sabina
Ozolins, Janis
Rauer, Georg
Reinhardt, Ilka
Rigg, Robin
Schley, Laurent
Skrbinsek, Tomaz
Svensson, Linn
Trajce, Aleksander
Trbojevic, Igor
Tzingarska, Elena
von Arx, Manuela
Ciucci, Paolo
Keywords: Wolf-dog hybrids;Wolf;Environmental legislation;Habitats Directive;Bern Convention
Issue Date: Aug-2020
Rank: M21a
Journal: Biological Conservation
Abstract: 
Hybridisation between wolves and dogs is increasingly reported in Europe. Nonetheless, no systematic survey has ever been attempted at the continental scale. We made the first assessment of wolf-dog hybridisation (WDH) occurrence in Europe and analysed how the phenomenon is addressed by international legislation and managed at the country level. We found that WDH is reported in all nine extant European wolf populations, and in 21 out of 28 countries for which we received information. The two main international legal instruments (i.e., the Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention) do not explicitly mention the threat posed by hybridisation but do provide guidance promoting control of free-ranging wolf-dog hybrids. However, we recorded poor compliance with such recommendations in most European countries, and a lack of coordination in addressing WDH among countries sharing the same wolf population. Alarmingly, we revealed a lack of well-designed and implemented country-wide genetic surveys to detect and monitor hybridisation, both relevant pre-requisites to effectively implement WDH management. By recommending criteria for an operative definition of “hybrid”, we also suggest improvements to enhance WDH-related policy at the EU scale.
URI: https://biore.bio.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3848
ISSN: 0006-3207
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108525
Appears in Collections:Journal Article

Show full item record

SCOPUSTM   
Citations

24
checked on Oct 31, 2024

Page view(s)

3
checked on Nov 4, 2024

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric

Altmetric


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.