Has the common genet ( Genetta genetta ) spread into south‐eastern France and Italy?
2007; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 75; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/11250000701691812
ISSN1748-5851
AutoresPhilippe Gaubert, Frédéric Jiguet, Pierre Bayle, Francesco M. Angelici,
Tópico(s)Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
ResumoThe common genet (Genetta genetta) is a small carnivoran that was probably introduced from Maghreb into south‐western Europe. We reassessed its easternmost European distribution from 110—mostly new—data collected in south‐eastern France and Italy, and tested for potential habitat selection, to finally re‐evaluate the role of the Rhône as a geographic barrier against eastward migrations. The species was more frequent in river valleys, wetlands and low‐mountainous areas (south‐eastern France), but also occurred in high‐mountainous zones at the French–Italian border. Our results evidenced a significant increase of records (13‐fold the number of occurrences previously known) and an apparent absence of habitat selection by the common genet, suggesting a recent, natural spread from the right bank of the Rhône through a zone of ∼30 km with artificial bridges. We finally provide a synthetic, re‐assessed distribution map of the common genet in France and Italy, combining 4317 occurrences from French national databases and the 110 records collected herein.
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