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Résumé :
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Capsule Culling of Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis can have some immediate local benefits to Audouin's Gulls in small and remote colonies. Aim To evaluate the effects of a Yellow-legged Gull culling programme conducted from 2000 to 2009 on the breeding success and abundance of syntopic Audouin's Gulls on Alboran Island, Spain. Methods Censuses of nesting pairs and nest distribution maps for both gull species, and breeding success (well-grown chicks per pair) monitoring for Audouin's Gulls, were conducted annually from April to July, 1994-2009, with complementary data for the period 1982-1994 available in an earlier study by the first author and colleagues. Results At the time of the peak occupation of the island Yellow-legged Gulls seemingly reduced breeding success and number of nesting pairs of Audouin's Gulls. Negative effects on the colony of Yellow-legged Gulls were observed when subjected to massive culling, which presumably favoured the breeding status of Audouin's Gulls. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that the facultative culling of large gulls affecting syntopic species of conservation concern can have some immediate local benefits in small and remote colonies. We suggest that culling Yellow-legged Gulls in these zones could be justifiable, given the shortage of available breeding habitats for Audouin's Gulls.
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