[Ancient mammals introductions in Western Europe : history, mechanisms and involvments in the human sciences and life sciences]
1994
Vigne, J.D. (Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris (France). Lab. d'Anatomie Comparee)
Humans have been moving animals around since at least the Early Neolithic period, and over the last ten years there has been much progress in understanding how and where these translocations took place. This review looks at some of the mammalian introductions that have had the greatest impact on human cultures and on the environment of western Europe over the last 5000 years. The case of domestic sheep and goats mammals of the Mediterranean Islands, deer, rabbit, house mouse and black rat are discussed in the light of the three main types of relocation, these being the spread of domesticates, the movement of captive wild animal for hunting, and unintentional introductions of commensal small mammals. In conclusion, it is shown how studies of historical anthropology and biology can unravel ancient relocation processes, and it is emphasized how very important it is to understand these processes in debates on the present management of the so-called "natural" heritage.
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