Is growing tourist activity affecting the distribution or number or breeding pairs in a small colony of the Eleonora´s Falcon?

  1. Martínez-Abrain, A.
  2. Oro, D.
  3. Ferris, V.
  4. Belenguer, R.
Revista:
Animal Biodiversity and Conservation

ISSN: 1578-665X

Ano de publicación: 2002

Volume: 25

Número: 2

Páxinas: 47-51

Tipo: Artigo

Outras publicacións en: Animal Biodiversity and Conservation

Resumo

Is growing tourist activity affecting the distribution or number of breeding pairs in a small colony of the Eleonora�s Falcon?� Human disturbance is a common threat for species of conservation concern such as the Eleonora�s Falcon. This paper shows that the rise in tourist presence from 1992 to 2000 has not affected the overall number of breeding pairs or their productivity in a small archipelago of the western Mediterranean (Columbretes Islands). However, the increasing tourist activity has coincided with a shift in the degree of occupancy on two islands within the archipelago, favouring that with a lower human presence close to colonies. Several conservation actions are reported and suggested, aimed at both testing and preventing the role of human presence as a factor influencing long�term colony persistence and growth.