Home range e utilizzo del territorio in pernici rosse (Alectoris rufa rufa) nate in allevamento e allo stato selvatico

In Italy several small populations of red-legged partridges has been reconstituted in areas where the species was extinguished. In these areas release of different animals must be programmed, since the dimension of the reconstituted populations does not catch up the minimal dimension required to guard the species from a new extinction. We have thoght therefore indispensable to carry out a research in order to estimate the integration ability of the released raised partridges with the wild population, the survival rates, the use of the habitat and the home-ranges of both populations. In a protected areaf Central Italy 350 raised partridges were released during August month. In January 6 raised partridges and 21 wild partridges has been captured by traps. 6 subjects for each thesis (raised or wild) have been therefore equipped with radio necklaces and localised biweekly until July. No difference in mortality rates was observed between wild or raised partridges that had survived to the winter. Raised partridges, that survive after release in the wild, were able to integrate themselves in mixed brigades with the wild partridges. Vineyards with interlined grass were the habitat most frequented. The distance from the subsidiary artificial feeding points significantly increased during broods showing the necessity to increase the number and dispersion of the supplementary feeders in spring, to help the animals from an alimentary point of view. The distance from the houses and home range surfaces did not differ between wild and raised partridges.