Acoustic monitoring of the hunting pressure over the wintering population of the Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis) in Romania

This study explores the use of Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) to assess the hunting pressure on the vulnerable Red-breasted Goose ( Branta ruficollis ) population wintering in Romania. The Red-breasted Goose is a long-distance migrant whose numbers have been declining, with south eastern Romania serving as a significant wintering area. Despite restrictions on hunting, the species remains vulnerable to accidental shooting and gunshot disturbances targeting Greater White-fronted Geese ( Anser albifrons ), a legal quarry species that coexists in mixed flocks with the Red-breasted Goose. This research employed AudioMoth acoustic devices at three Natura 2000 sites during two winter seasons (2018–2020). The devices recorded over 5900 hours of sound data, detecting 2530 gunshots across 220 days. Results showed that the hunting pressure was highest at Balta Albă Lake, where 69% of study days recorded gunshots. The findings highlight that PAM is a cost-effective method for monitoring hunting activity, with potential applications for enforcing conservation measures and preventing poaching. The study concludes with recommendations for improving field data collection, data analysis, and implementing stronger conservation measures, such as hunting bans within critical areas for the Red-breasted Goose.