The importance of prey subspecies: predator distribution and European rabbits in their native range

Resumen del póster presentado al 7th European Congress of Mammalogy, celebrado en Estocolmo (Suecia) del 17 al 21 de agosto de 2015.The European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus is native to the Iberian Peninsula, where it serves as prey for more than 30 predator species. Two rabbit subspecies are recognized, which differ in morphology, genetic and behaviour. O.c. algirus is present in south-western Iberia, while O.c. cuniculus is found in north-eastern Spain. Using information from atlas of mammals and birds, we assessed whether species richness of predators that consume regularly rabbits varied between the distribution areas of both rabbit subspecies. The species richness of facultative and specialist predators on rabbits was slightly higher in the O.c. algirus distribution area. Also, 70% of the 10x10km grids inhabited by the highly endangered Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus and/or the Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti were found in the O.c. algirus distribution area. These findings reveal the key role of this rabbit subspecies, endemic in the Iberian Peninsula, for predator conservation, namely the top-predators.Peer Reviewe