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Non-invasive monitoring of the European wildcat in a recently colonized area in the Northern Apennines (Italy)

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Abstract

Acquiring up-to-date information on the distribution of a species is an issue of paramount importance to set up proper conservation strategies and to assess its conservation status over time. The European wildcat has recently expanded its distribution in different parts of its range in Italy, including the Northern Apennines area. The current study represents the first wildcat systematic monitoring in the central part of Northern Apennines. Non-invasive genetic sampling—based both on valerian and catnip lures—was applied, integrated with camera trapping within two Regional Parks. This approach is needed in order to obtain hair samples to be genetically analyzed, since cross-breeding with domestic cats can make wildcat identification based only on coat characteristics misleading. Videos obtained from camera traps allowed the identification of several individuals (image capture rate of 1.04/100 trap-nights), including at least one female. Hair samples were only collected in April–May using catnip as an attractant, whereas the valerian-based solution used did not yield the expected results (i.e., attracting wildcats and stimulating their rubbing behavior to allow hair collection). These results allowed for the first time the genetic confirmation of a pure wildcat in the study area. Domestic cat presence (image capture rate of 1.4/100 trap-nights) was also assessed in the same locations, posing a possible threat for wildcat conservation at the expanding margin of its distribution. Our findings confirm the effectiveness of the integration of multiple monitoring techniques for wildcat detection and highlight the need for a continued monitoring of the species, especially in newly colonized areas.

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Data availability

Data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. Data are not publicly available, due to the need to previously inform the Parks about their use. Data updating the distribution of the species in the Northern Apennines range are publicly available as an interactive map at www.gattoselvatico.it, the national portal dedicated to the wildcat in Italy, within the framework of the National Biodiversity Network.

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Acknowledgements

This study was carried out in partnership with Ente di gestione per i Parchi e la Biodiversità – Emilia Orientale, which we would like to thank for the collaboration and for providing part of the field equipment. We are particularly grateful to Daria Victorini for her indispensable help in the fieldwork, that would not have been possible without her. We especially thank also Andrea De Giovanni, for his essential support and helpfulness during fieldwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124, Parma, Italy

    Laura Viviani & Francesco Nonnis Marzano

  2. Unit for Conservation Genetics (BIO-CGE), Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 40064, Ozzano Dell’Emilia, Italy

    Federica Mattucci

  3. Maremma Natural History Museum, 58100, Grosseto, Italy

    Andrea Sforzi

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  1. Laura Viviani
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Conceptualization: A.S., L.V.; Methodology: A.S., L.V.; Formal analysis and investigation: A.S., F.M., L.V.; Writing - original draft preparation: L.V.; Writing - review and editing: A.S., L.V., F.M., F.N.M.; Supervision: A.S.; Project Administration: F.N.M. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Andrea Sforzi.

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Viviani, L., Nonnis Marzano, F., Mattucci, F. et al. Non-invasive monitoring of the European wildcat in a recently colonized area in the Northern Apennines (Italy). Eur J Wildl Res 70, 22 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-024-01777-4

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