Lynx management in Latvia: population control or sport hunting?
2008
Ozolins, J., State Forest Service, Riga (Latvia) | Pupila, A., Teici Nature Reserve, Laudona, Madona reg. (Latvia). Administration | Ornicans, A., Latvian State Forest Research Inst. Silava, Salaspils (Latvia) | Bagrade, G., Natural History Museum of Latvia, Riga (Latvia)
The study examines the harvesting manner of lynx population in Latvia. Samples from hunting bags compose the main material used for analysis. From 1998 to 2005 a total of 178 lynxes were investigated for sex, absolute age, female fertility, and fecundity. The sample consisted of 33.7% juveniles, 12.4% yearlings and 53.9% adults. The sex ratio did not deviate significantly from 1:1. Nearly 91% of the adult females were involved in reproduction. Average fecundity was 2.33 embryos per producing female. These data are used to evaluate the impact of hunting on population recruitment. The sex-age structure of the hunting bag confirms that hunters used the permitted opportunity to reduce lynx numbers rather than to obtain distinguished trophies. The hunters are motivated by concern about the increase of lynx population due to its predation on ungulates, in particular roe deer. To avoid overexploitation of lynx population and to reduce public strain about depredation, yields below 10% of estimated numbers are proposed.
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