Alpine grouse in the French Alps: hunting management and protection experiences

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1 Alpine grouse in the French Alps: hunting management and protection experiences Ariane Bernard-Laurent ONCFS, Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage France I work in France for the ONCFS (Wildlife and Hunting National Office), a public corps which is run both of the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture. I am a member of a research group that studies mountain wildlife and, in particular, grouse. We aim at improving our knowledge in the field of ecology and at providing useful suggestions to improve the management of these species. I will present the hunting management and the conservation experiments carried out on grouse populations in the French Alps. Before the year 2, in the French Alpine region, there were 5 grouse species: rock ptarmigan, black grouse, hazel grouse, rock partridge and capercaillie. Today, there are only 4 of them because the latter became extinct recently. Nowadays, in France, like everywhere in the Alps, both the mountain abandon and the extension of the winter sports areas cause significant disturbances and a severe contraction of grouse habitat. At the end of the 97s, the ONCFS started specific studies on black grouse and capercaillie. The interest in these species, from the biological as well as from the conservation points of view, led researches to increase knowledge on ecology, ethology and distribution, as well as to acquire data on the population s dynamics useful for management purposes. In the 8s, also the other grouse species became object of studies and, progressively, several corps in charge of wildlife management got involved in the monitoring of these species. The ONCFS decided to set up a regular collaboration between corps in charge of wildlife management, corps responsible for the management of protected areas, and associations either specialized in wildlife protection or in typical Alpine wildlife hunting, and created in 992 the Observatoire des Galliformes de Montagne or OGM (Grouse Observatory), which purpose is to: Define, promote and co-ordinate the population monitoring of 4 grouse species (capercaillie, black grouse, rock ptarmigan, hazel grouse) and 2 mountain partridges (rock partridge, Pyrenees grey partridge), as well as the monitoring of their habitats; Collect, analyze and synthesize the collected data; Make all this information available to be used and exploited for the sustainable management of these species and their habitat. In French Alps, the OGM obtained all of the useful data required for the management of the four species of Alpine grouse. This Observatory covers the Alps and the Pyrenees regions: it brings together 4 associations in charge of the management of protected areas or wildlife, i.e. the ONCFS, hunting federations of the Alpine region, parks and protected areas boards, the ONF (French National Forest Office) and several environmental and hunting associations. The Observatory works on 5 types of programs:

2 Evaluation of the distribution on a local scale (commune or local district) or over a natural unit (mountain range); Cartography of selected sites at critical stages of the annual cycle and cartography of potential reproductive sites; Demographic monitoring (abundance, population trends, reproductive success); Collecting of hunting and mortality data; Inventory of fatal accident causes and of conservation actions. An example of population monitoring: black grouse Thanks to the singing cock inventory carried out over a natural unit s sample (5 natural units covering 5,4 square kilometers) between the 99 and the 999 in the French Alps, the black grouse population density is organized in classes: less than adults, between and 2 adults and more than adults (Figure ). This inventory made it possible to evaluate the black grouse population between 6, and 2, adults. The map shown in Figure is a very useful working tool for the analysis of connections between populations and for the improvement of the sample areas choice. We intend to repeat such inventory every ten years. I present some results obtained by carrying out types of monitoring operations on black grouse. 2

3 SUISSE 74 EFFECTIF 2 coqschanteurs 7 8 ITALIE SOURCES : OGM / ONCFS Cartographie OGM Pascale Collard Figure : Distribution of black grouses, according to classes of abundance, by natural unit (source: OGM) In order to underline the population trend, spring censuses of singing cocks are carried out over a network of sample areas covering each one few hundred hectares. These areas are pointed out in yellow on the Figure 2 map. By geographical regions, data analysis show that numbers are decreasing in two regions: the southern Pre-Alps (in green) and the northern Alps (in purple). In the northern Pre-Alps (in blue) and in the southern inner Alps (in pink), they are stable.

4 8 Percentuale di variazione (2!6 (! 2 (4! (2! 4 (2!2-25 (! Hautes Prealpi del nord (2! de Haute Provence Alpi ALPES interne del sud Alpi interne del nord -5 (! Vaucluse aree campioni dei maschi (2! 5 8 % 5 (2! Haute -75 (42! 5 (4! 6 27 Prealpi del sud - Maritimes 9 Var km 25 5 SOURCES : OGM / ONCFS Cartographie OGM Pascale Collard Figure 2: Sample areas network for spring census and trend of singing black grouse cocks by geographical region (source: OGM) Percentage of variation in the number of cocks, Sources: OGM/ONCFS, cartography: OGM, Pascale Collard, Oct. 25, 24) The third monitoring operation consists in based on the results obtained for the southern counting the number of adults and young birds in inner Alps area presented in Figure, it appears order to measure the reproductive success. The that the reproductive index varies greatly from one network of the sample areas, used for carrying out year to the next. Therefore it is necessary to carry these operations, are mentioned in yellow in out summer census of young and adult birds Figure. As in Italy, the counting is done in every year. August with the voluntary help of hunters, who These demographic data are essential to own well-trained setters, harmless to chicks. The decide if hunting is possible for first, and then for measured reproductive index corresponds to the evaluating the maximum number of birds which number of young birds per female. For instance, can be shot. 4

5 Esempio : Alpi interne del Sud giovani/femmina ,8 % 8 % % Figure : Sample areas network for summer countings of adult and young birds, and annual reproductive index estimates in the southern Alps (source: OGM) (Translation of map titles: Example: southern inner Alps Young birds / female ) Hunting management We can talk about first-rate hunting management when the number of birds shot by hunters is compatible with the stability, or the increase of a species population. A population is considered huntable if: it has over than 2 reproductive adults, it is not in an isolation s state (i.e. maximum 2 km far from the closest population), its distribution area is not threatened by fragmentation because of the contraction of biotops, it is not decreasing significantly, there are no unnatural causes of mortality (due to cables, poaching...), there is an ordinary or good annual reproductive success. Wherever the species can be shot, shooting plans must be related to the demographic data on populations collected in sample areas, with an allowed maximum number of birds shot per year. The results of the summer census carried out over several hundred hectares are extrapolated to all hunting territories of a mountain area. Research are still on run to estimate to which extent an extrapolation could be considered as valid. 5

6 The estimate of the maximum number of shot birds must take into account the following elements:. male density before the hunting season obtained by adults and young density in august; 2. the reproductive index, which determines the choice of shot-rate;. the indirect losses due to hunting, which are estimated around 2-25% of shot birds which have been picked up. On the basis of these data, the shot rates are the following: if the reproductive index is more than,8 young per female, the shooting plans can range between 5-2%. In a medium year, when the reproductive index ranges from to,8 young/female, the plans can vary from 5 to 5%. When the reproductive index is lower than young for female, the shooting rate must be less than 5% of the population. These rates correspond to a conservative hunting, assuming that the mortality due to hunting adds to the natural one. This is not completely true, because a certain number of shot animals should have anyway died due to natural causes. Thank to data collected by OGM, since 995, in many Alpine districts, the measures to reduce the hunting pressure (limitations of day hunting, daily bag etc.) have been progressively replaced with shooting plans in order to adapt the shooting take off to the population status. Actually hunting restrictions are not strong enough to manage the shooting. Moreover, to control the shooting plans, a ministerial decree was issued in 998 that established a personal license for the 6 species of galliformes, mountain hare and marmot. When an animal is shot, the hunter has to note the species, data, time and locality of capture. At the end of the hunting season, the hunter must give back the license to obtain the renewal for the following season. Thank to this instrument, since 998, we have reliable data on the shot animals. In France, the legal period for hunting ranges from the end of September to the of November. The regulation varies among districts and depends on the decisions of the technicians. The figure 4 shows that black grouse (only the males are hunted) is hunted with regulations in two districts and with shooting plans in 5 districts. The yearly average number of shot animals during the seasons from 998 to 24, was 97 males. Haute- Nbcoqs prèlevès ALPI Caccia con restrizioni Hautes- Caccia vietata Con piano di abbattimento -Maritimes de Haute-Provence 5 5 Var Figure 4 : Hunting rules: hunting with regulations (green areas), with shooting plans (yellows areas), prohibited (red ones) and hunting bag for black grouse (source: OGM) 6

7 For ptarmigan shooting plans are present only in districts in the south of Alps. In the French Alps, during the seasons from 998 to 25, the average yearly bag was 245 birds (Figure 5). Haute- N b o is e a u x p ré le v é s A L P E S 4 Caccia con restrizioni Hautes- Caccia vietata Con piano di abbattimento 2 de Haute-Provence -Maritimes Figure 5 : Hunting rules: hunting with regulations (green areas), with shooting plans (yellows areas), prohibited (red ones) and hunting bag for ptarmigan (source: OGM) Rock partridge is hunted in all the districts with shooting plans. During the seasons from 998 to 25, the medium yearly bag was 4 birds (Figure 6). Haute- N di capi 25 ALPES Hautes- Caccia vietata Piano di abbattimento 2 5 -Maritimes de Haute-Provence Figure 6 : Hunting rules: hunting with shooting plans (yellows areas), prohibited (red ones) and hunting bag for rock partridge (source: OGM) The hazel is hunted with regulations on northern alpine districts and with a shooting plan only in the Hautes- district. The number of shot animals is low with a mean of 5 individuals a year (Figure 7). 7

8 Haute- N di capi 25 ALPES Hautes- Caccia vietata Piano di abbattimento 2 5 -Maritimes de Haute-Provence Figure 7: Hunting rules: hunting with shooting plans (yellows areas), prohibited (red ones) and hunting bag for hazel (source: OGM) At the end, the hunting management will continue in the future if: the hunting will be limited and controlled; the hunters will continue monitoring and managing the environment to help these species. The temporary hunting prohibition could be a good measure in years with few animals. In long-term period, the total prohibition is not a suitable instrument to preserve galliformes, because one of the most important causes of galliformes decrease is the anthropic habitat modification. Conservation measures Habitat improvements The worrying mountain woodland expansion and the consequent reduction of mountain open-land must be considered in planning black grouse habitat improvement programmes. In French Alps, experimental restoration actions for the black grouse reproductive habitat has been applied. Generally, they take place on the edges of grazing areas. Since 989, 2 attempts to improve the black grouse s reproductive habitat were set on a surface of 524 hectares with an expense of 9. euros. Hunters, naturalists, technicians of forestry service and ONCFS were involved in these operations. These ones concerned coniferous woodland, alder and rhododendron areas (Figure 8). Since the end of 8, many measures were applied both for conservation and management. 8

9 L A C L E M A N S U I S S E GENEVE Haute Annecy Chambéry Valence Vaucluse Avignon Hautes Gap de Haute Provence Digne I T A L I E Alneto (27 ha per 478 ) Rodoreto (2 ha per 28 ) Conifere (6 ha per 8 ) Altro Maritimes Nice Var Toulon Figure 8 : Localizations of habitat improvement actions for black grouse (source: OGM) Some operations are associated with a pre and post monitoring. In general these actions show good results in the rhododendron areas but not in the alder ones. Habitat improvements were done also for rock partridge, using controlled fire in winter. Forestry interventions were conducted for hazel grouse. Habitat improvement measures in the mountains are only at the beginning: for the future it would be important to preserve and to maintain the presence of open lands. List of dangerous ski resort s aerial cables and actions aimed to display it Ski resorts have a negative impact on galliformes species. The construction of a resort leads to many problems: habitat reduction, increase of moving activities and alteration of the social behaviour; besides the collisions with aerial cables can cause animal s death. A big investigation was conducted by OGM to find out the dangerous cables on all the ski resorts of Alps and Pyrenees. This list was finished in 25. Collisions were recorded for all the 6 species of galliformes. The following results are only for Alps. Among the 25 ski resort of French Alps, 4 dangerous ski cables were found distributed 9

10 on 2 ski resorts with 52 mortality event (Table ). Black grouse collides most frequently (69%) than ptarmigan (6%), rock partridge (7%), raptors (%) and hazel grouse (only 4 cases). The mortality depends on the cable type. The investigation shows that ski lifts are responsible of the 77% of cases, chairlifts 7%, cableways 2%, aerial ropeways %, cables for avalanches and explosive carriage % and power lines %. Table : Number of mortality cases per bird species and cable type in the French Alps (source: OGM) Birds Skilift Chairlift Cableway Aerial ropeway Avalanches cable Cable for carrying explosives Power line Network wires TOTAL Black grouse Ptarmigan Rock partridge Hazel grouse 4 4 Raptors 2 5 Others TOTAL The reason of this difference is the better visibility of cable-ways placed outside the woodlands, generally much higher than trees tip. The mortality events due to collisions depend also on the height of the cables: an height between 6 and 2 meters is dangerous. Moreover also the distance of the cable from the wood edge must be considered. Various types of signals were placed on the cables where collision events had been observed. At the end of these experience we have kept to mark dangerous chairlifts with the spirals and ski lifts with the floats. The float is the same used for fishing, red coloured with a diameter of 5 cm and a length of 2. These signals are not particularly expensive: a medium price for a float is of,7 euro. Moreover it is not necessary to cover all the cables with floats, but only the part where a collision event was detected; in this part the floats have to be located every 2 meters. Today it s possible to say that no dead animal was found under the cables highlighted by these floats. These operations involve technicians of the ski resorts and, depending on the areas, staff from protected areas and hunting management districts. The map in figure 9 shows: green: stations without dangerous ski runs; blue: stations where all the dangerous cables were highlighted; red: stations where only a part of the dangerous cables were highlighted; grey: stations where no dangerous cables were highlighted. Nowadays dangerous cables were highlighted in only 4 stations. A lot of work is still to do! During the winter, a monitoring of the highlighted ski resorts were done.

11 HA U T E-SA VO IE SAVO IE ISER E D R OM E HAU T ES -AL PE S Stazioni senza infrastrutture pericolose inventariate Stazioni con infrastrutture pericolose inventariate: Stazioni con nessuna infrastruttura pericolosa visualizzata o rimossa Stazioni con una parte delle infrastrutture pericolose visualizzate e/o rimosse Stazioni con tutte le infrastrutture pericolose visualizzate o rimosse 22 2 AL PES -H AU TE -PROVE NCE ALP ES-MA R IT IM ES 2 Figure 9 : Trend of the cables visualization in the French ski resorts (source: OGM) Conclusions In conclusion, I would like to persist on a galliformes management more integrated with the habitat one. In order to develop an action plan for threatened species such as mountain galliformes, it s really important to establish a collaboration among all the institutes of environmental and tourism management for: monitoring and identifying the populations that can sustain an hunting management; collecting data about ecology and distribution at different scales to value the isolation degree of different reproductive populations; rationally planning forestry and grazing management, and limiting the negative impacts of ski resorts.