Size and density of a feral goat Capra hircus population in a protected area in the Pyrenees

To estimate the number and density of feral goats Capra hircus in Guara Nature Park (Pyrenees, Spain), 30 observation points were established throughout a 440-km2 portion of the park occupied by goats. In April and May, 2009, goats were counted daily during 3-h observation periods that began at dusk. The counts documented 282 goats in 39 groups. Their locations were mapped and, to calculate the area occupied by the groups, the data were analysed using ArcInfo, which indicated that the total visual area was 8,075 ha. Based on Distance Sampling, the estimated density was 2.1 goats km2 (CV 32%), which implied a population of about 940 individuals. That sub-population is part of a larger population in the southern Pyrenees that s distributed over an area of at least 2,100 km2 and, probably, is one of the largest populations in continental Europe. In the Pyrenees feral goats might be an important food resource for the endangered Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos. The conservation, control, or eradication of those goats should be based on a comprehensive analysis of its role in the ecology of the Pyrenees.