From pest to vulnerable species: Combining ecological and behavioural knowledge for the conservation and management of Lagostomus maximus

Abstract

Despite being a native herbivore, in 1905, the plains vizcacha was declared a plague for agriculture by the Argentinean government. Since then, several eradication programmes have been conducted, leading to local extinction events and a considerable decrease in the vizcacha’s abundance throughout its historical distribution range. Along with the waning of the vizcacha, its role as an ecosystem engineer also disappeared. Currently, efforts are being made to articulate the development of management and conservation projects for this gregarious burrowing mammal. In this chapter, we combine the known information about the species with our experimental results and field experience. Together, these elements have allowed us to develop a successful translocation and management protocol for the plains vizcacha, with the potential for adaptation for other fossorial mammals. The aim of this chapter is to provide a practical guide for managing vizcacha’s populations based on their behavioural needs.