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P.A.E. Diogo & J. Aranha 2010. GIS analysis of the Antidote Programme in Portugal
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GIS analysis of the Antidote Programme in Portugal
Patrícia A.E. Diogo 1 & José Aranha 1,2*
1 Departamento de Ciências Florestais e Arquitectura Paisagista, Universidade de Trásos-Montes
e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
2 CITAB, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Abstract
The aim of this research was to analyse the huge number of animal poisoning occurrences in
Portugal and to establish a relationship between poisoning, land use, land cover and human
activity.
It was used a large database, belonging to the programme Antidote Portugal in order to create a
GIS. This database records all occurrences attributes, such as, the location of dead animals, the
number of affected individuals, the species that belong and their location.
Two approaches were made, one based on poisoning occurrences and one base on number of
dead animal per occurrence, in order to calculate hazard maps. Both approaches were based on
multivariate analysis and geostatistical processes.
According to the results, agro-forested areas are those were the most cases occur. A special
reference must be made to the Protected Areas and the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and
Costa Vicentina, were token place few cases but very deadly.
Keywords: Principal Component Analysis, Geostatistic, Hazard Poisoning, Programme
Antidote Portugal, GIS
1. Introduction
The Portuguese Antidote Programme (PAP) was created in January the 12th, 2003 with the aim
of evaluating the effects of the use of poisons on wildlife populations and to establish measures
to control this problem (Brandão 2003). It is a platform based on the Spanish Antidote
Programme (SAP), which began in 1997 due to growing concern about the illegal use of
poisons and other toxic substances posing a threat to wildlife conservation (FCQ 2009). The
PAP’s aims is to establish a cooperation protocol between different organizations, public and
private entities, and to developed policies in order to gather all the scattered information and
establish mechanisms for its concentration and a complete study (Brandao 2003).
The first use of poison is reported to the nineteenth century, leading some drastic declines or
extinction of some wildlife populations, especially the Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus) and carrion
birds. In agro forested areas and natural areas, poisons area used for various reasons, mainly as
an attempt to control predators of game animals and livestock. These actions are carried out by
hunters and hunting areas managers, and have as target species and feral dogs, wolves and
mammals of small and medium businesses. This is the most accessible and successful method
because of the easiness of which it can be applied and the number of individuals that can be
eliminated under a low level of effort for anyone who applies. Almost all historical references
* Corresponding author; Telf. + 00 351 259 350 856 - Fax. + 00 351 250 350 480
Email address: j.aranha.utad@gmail.com
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.