PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The two islands of Corsica and Sardinia are home to the only natural populations of the Corsican mouflon (Ovis gemelini musinom var.corsicana), which is an ungulate species listed under the annexes II and IV of the Habitats directive.
In 1827, the Corsican population of the mouflon was estimated at 2 200 individuals, but during the 20th century, the population dropped to 500. Despite the species being a fully protected one since 1956, the increase in numbers has been much smaller than would have been hoped or expected. Into the 21st Century still only 1 000 individuals could be found.
The main causes of this limited increase were identified as poaching, human disturbances through sport and leisure activities, disease from domestic sheep and fires. Moreover, the Corsican mouflon population is split into two unconnected nuclei. Such isolation increases the overall vulnerability of the species on the island.
OBJECTIVES
The project aimed to initiate and establish a long-term programme to preserve and reinforce the Corsican population of Corsican Mouflon. This would be based on the building and running of a captive breeding centre, using animals to be caught in the wild.
It had the target of producing 10 to 20 mouflons per year from winter 2006-07. These would then be released into the wild to both reinforce existing population cells and create new ones. The overall objective was to increase the population and extend the populated area to reconnect the two separated nuclei.
Monitoring of released mouflons would be undertaken by tagging them with GPS devices. The wild populations would also be monitored to determine key aspects of their way of life, including distribution area, population trends and breeding success. This would be based on the creation of an effective monitoring network for the species at a regional scale.
To strengthen the long-term potential of the programme, the project sought to elaborate and approve a Mouflon Action Plan, with other international specialists. It hoped to reach appropriate management agreements with users of the natural park - including hunters and other sports and leisure practitioners- to minimise human disturbance to the mouflons.
RESULTS
Although breeding in captivity proved a lot more difficult than expected, the team has succeeded in setting up what should be a successful long-term programme for the captive breeding and reintroduction of the Corsican mouflon.
The project made significant progress in improving understanding of the dynamics of the Corsican mouflon population. They used a new technique for surveying mouflons by helicopter and were able to map the two wild populations over very extensive areas, estimate the natural reproduction rate, which is alarmingly low, and identify the major threats to their survival.
Special teams were created to capture a total of 79 wild mouflons over three years, working often in severe weather conditions. In the first two years, however, a number of mouflons died during or shortly after capture, due to stress aggravated by general poor health. The team completely revised their capture, transport and after-capture care procedures, and as a result there were no further deaths caused by the capture. 34 mouflons were released immediately as being unsuitable for captive breeding, and a total of 41 mouflons were placed in two large enclosures, one of which was built at Asco at the beginning of the project. Unfortunately, on three occasions a number of mouflons escaped from the Asco enclosure, in total 15. A small number also died from different causes (parasitism, infection, old age). Both enclosures have been adapted and enlarged during the course of the project to improve living conditions and to prevent mouflons from escaping and predators from getting in. A total of 19 mouflons were born during the project, and the group in the Quenza enclosure, numbering 19 in 2008, is now stable and increasing naturally. During the final two years of the project, all the females had litters, which is a very positive sign for the future.
As a result of these unforeseen difficulties, it became clear that the project would not meet its key target of reintroducing groups of 5-10 animals into the wild every year starting on the third year of the project, and it was decided to close the project one year earlier than planned. Nevertheless, an agreement has been reached between all of the relevant environmental managers and authorities to ensure that the programme will continue in the coming years. The first reintroductions into the wild are now planned for 2011. To prepare for this, extensive studies have been carried out to identify the most favourable sites for releasing the animals.
The project marked an important improvement in the collaboration between the different regional nature protection organisations, and carried out a wide range of awareness raising work around the Corsican mouflon and its conservation needs, including organising 12 public meetings, 140 other events, presentations in 58 schools to over 2600 pupils and extensive media coverage.
