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EU Sanitary Regulation on Livestock Disposal: Implications for the Diet of Wolves

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Abstract

Sanitary and environmental regulations may have indirect effects on the wildlife and ecosystem services beyond their regulatory scope. To illustrate such effects, this paper examines how EU sanitary measures, in conjunction with additional regulations and socio-economic changes, have caused wolf diet to shift in Galicia, northwestern Spain. Prior to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis in Europe in 2000, livestock carcasses used to be left on the field and were eaten by scavengers and carnivores. As a result of the BSE crisis, sanitary regulations regarding the disposal of livestock carcasses were introduced. These regulations affected the populations of avian scavengers. We hypothesize that wolf ecology has also been affected by the aforementioned regulations. We analysed wolf diet for the period 2003–2006 and compared the results with those of a previously published study (1974–1978). We found a shift in wolf feeding habits following the implementation of these EU regulations. A decrease in carrion consumption was registered, and wolves increased their feeding on the rising population of wild ungulates, especially on roe deer, and on wild pony. Future regulations should assess their potential indirect effects in the early stages of drafting to allow for the design of proper mitigation measures.

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Acknowledgments

The main author was partially supported in her Ph.D. research by grants from the Consellería de Educación e Ordenación Universitaria and Consellería de Innovación, Industria e Comercio, Galician Government and from the University of Santiago of Compostela. We are grateful to Dr. Jaime Fagúndez for his comments on the manuscript. We thank David Fernández for revising the English version.

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  1. Institute of Research and Food Analysis, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, c/Constantino Candeira s/n. Campus Sur, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Laura Lagos & Felipe Bárcena

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  1. Laura Lagos
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Correspondence to Laura Lagos.

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Lagos, L., Bárcena, F. EU Sanitary Regulation on Livestock Disposal: Implications for the Diet of Wolves. Environmental Management 56, 890–902 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-015-0571-4

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