Juan Ignacio Rengifo Gallego

The decline in the number of hunters may affect wildlife management, while overabundant game populations pose challenges for human activities and ecosystems. In this context, understanding hunter recruitment and retention is increasingly relevant. We used a survey to examine how individual characteristics and hunting-related practices associate with hunting participation in Spain. Hunting interest in game species varied by sex, age and hunting type, being higher in women, declining with age, and generally higher for big game. Sex differences were bigger for big game, and age-related declines were more pronounced for big than for small game. The probability that the father was the first hunting companion decreased with age and was higher in women, while dog use declined with age and showed no sex differences. These findings provide insights for context-specific and socially informed approaches to hunter recruitment and retention strategies.

This study examines the traditional hunting of the red-legged partridge using a decoy in Extremadura as an expression of intangible cultural heritage. It is a centuries-old hunting practice that has evolved into a social, recreational, and symbolic activity, closely linked to local identity and to collective memory. The research documents cultural values, the intergenerational transmission of knowledge, and the adaptation of the practice to modernity, highlighting its role in community building and its connection to the territory. Through a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and ethnographic techniques (participant observation, interviews) and quantitative tools (statistical and cartographic analysis), the study captures the complexity of this hunting modality, including its social, historical and artisanal dimensions.

Depopulation and structural demographic challenges affect social and territorial cohesion in Europe, a phenomenon that is particularly evident in rural municipalities in Spain, where the loss of the working-age population and the concentration of older adults threaten sustainability. This study analyzes the case of Pescueza (Cáceres, Spain) using a mixed-methods design that combines longitudinal demographic analysis (2000–2024) with a qualitative evaluation of the community project “Quédate con nosotr@s,” which focuses on comprehensive care and intergenerational participation. The results are critical regarding the demographic structure, with an aging index of 500% and dependency levels three times higher than the national average, although a slight demographic recovery linked to local initiatives is observed. This project has positive effects on social cohesion, community capital, and resilience in the face of demographic challenges, establishing itself as a replicable model for rural micro-territories. The study proposes a strategic framework based on the SWOT-CAME matrix and social sustainability indicators, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and European territorial cohesion policies. It concludes that social innovation, collaborative governance, and multilevel cooperation are key elements for addressing rural aging, and recommends public policies aimed at stable funding, inclusive digitalization, attracting young people, specialized training, and the creation of adapted infrastructure.

El toro de lidia es un animal caracterizado por su bravura y resistencia al manejo convencional. Este animal forma parte de la cultura de España, genera ingresos económicos y crea puestos de trabajo. Para dar a conocer el mundo del toro de lidia más allá del acto taurino, ha surgido el turismo taurino, que consiste en visitas a ganaderías de toros de lidia con el objetivo de mostrar cómo es la vida de este animal en su hábitat natural, la dehesa, y las peculiaridades de su crianza. Este estudio analiza la demanda de esta tipología turística. Para ello, se ha utilizado un análisis estadístico no paramétrico y se han obtenido resultados que corroboran que hay muchas personas que desconocen este tipo de turismo y, por este motivo, nunca lo han practicado. Este desconocimiento puede deberse a la falta de promoción y a la controversia que genera el mundo de la tauromaquia. Por este motivo, es fundamental saber diferenciar la tauromaquia del turismo taurino.. En esta línea, resulta fundamental conocer la opinión de los turistas, estén a favor o no de esta variedad de turismo. Entre los resultados destaca la fuerte polarización social cuando se habla de la tauromaquia, aunque cuando se desvincula de la misma, para ofrecer un producto novedoso, vinculado a la naturaleza y a la vida animal, existe un nicho de mercado interesante.

This study examines the demographic dynamics of Extremadura and Andalusia, two autonomous communities in southern Spain characterized by low income levels and marked territorial differences in terms of ageing and depopulation. Based on the observation of growing demographic pressure associated with low birth rates and emigration to more economically dynamic areas, a methodological approach based on spatial analysis techniques is proposed. In particular, the ageing index and demographic dependency ratio indicators are used, applying tools such as Hot Spot Analysis and Cluster and Outlier Analysis to identify significant spatial patterns and outliers. The results show a high concentration of ageing and dependency in provinces such as Cáceres and Almería, suggesting greater demographic vulnerability. In contrast, urban areas such as Seville and Granada, as well as the Guadalquivir depression, show more favorable indicators, reflecting greater resilience. Likewise, municipalities with demographic behavior that is anomalous with respect to their surroundings are detected, which raises the need for micro-territorial studies aimed at understanding these exceptions and designing more effective public policies adapted to the local context.

La superficie de las áreas naturales protegidas en España ha experimentado un notable incremento desde inicios del siglo XXI que ha afectado fundamentalmente al medio rural. Extremadura es un claro ejemplo de este escenario al presentar un carácter eminentemente rural en el que la superficie protegida representa más del 30% del territorio. La creación de este tipo de espacios ha desembocado en la restricción de determinadas actividades tradicionales ligadas a la explotación de los recursos endógenos que contribuyen a la generación de riqueza y a la necesaria diversificación productiva de los espacios rurales. Este es el caso de la actividad cinegética en los Parques Nacionales de España. Un claro ejemplo de este escenario lo encontramos en los límites del Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, donde la caza está prohibida desde el año 2020. Atendiendo a una planificación y gestión democrática de los espacios naturales protegidos, resulta fundamental la incorporación de la actividad cinegética en las estrategias de participación pública de los mismos. Por ello, en el presente trabajo se realiza, mediante un cuestionario un análisis sobre la percepción que la población local residente en el Área de Influencia Socioeconómica del Parque Nacional de Monfragüe tiene sobre la actividad cinegética. Por otra parte, se identifican las aspiraciones de la población local en relación con la planificación y gestión del espacio protegido en el actual escenario de abolición de la caza.

Bullfighting tourism is a recent tourism modality that is in constant growth, and which consists of visits to bullfighting ranches with the aim of showing what life is like for this animal in its natural habitat. This activity represents a source of extra income for many breeders, but it has not yet been adequately promoted and publicized. This study analyzes the supply side of this type of tourism. For this purpose, a non-parametric statistical model has been used and results have been obtained which corroborate that the promotion of this type of tourism is scarce, and that the breeders began to offer this type of tourism to make known what life is like for the fighting bull in the countryside and to increase their income. Furthermore, in this study, it is fundamental to differentiate between bullfighting and bullfighting tourism so that this type of tourism can reach the greatest possible number of people and not be influenced by thoughts against bullfighting, as they are different activities.

Hunting is one of the main uses associated with land which, in the current context, has a strong economic significance for rural areas. This work generates knowledge that can be useful for designing strategies that favour the economic dynamisation of rural areas, in a context of population loss and scarce economic diversification. In this sense and based on the results of a survey of hunters (N = 1662), the objectives of the work are first to analyse the territorial distribution and abundance of big game species in Spain and secondly, to examine the existence of correlations, between hunters' income, hunters’ gender and preferences for certain big game species. This analysis is based on primary and secondary sources and its characteristics are explained in the methodology section. Univariate and bivariate descriptive statistics were used, specifically the chi-square contingency test, which allows us to determine the relationship of dependence between two variables. We found that female hunters showed greater interest than their male counterparts in hunting big game species, and the same interest was found in hunters with higher income level regardless of their gender. Our results may help to design and develop socio-economic strategies related to supply and demand hunting activities.

Los espacios rurales atraviesan una crisis demográfica, escenario que ha impulsado acciones dirigidas a promover un modelo de desarrollo endógeno basado en el aprovechamiento sostenible de los recursos territoriales. Bajo estas circunstancias, el objetivo principal del artículo consiste en analizar las posibilidades que ofrece el aprovechamiento cinegético como actividad económica en el territorio rural de la frontera luso-extremeña. Para ello se parte de la hipótesis de que se trata de un espacio que atraviesa una profunda crisis demográfica y un escaso desarrollo económico, aunque cuenta con un capital natural importante: áreas protegidas, espacios adehesados y cotos de caza. Para alcanzar el objetivo y confirmar la hipótesis se han consultado fuentes oficiales que han aportado información alfanumérica. El tratamiento de esta información ha sido realizado mediante técnicas estadísticas descriptivas y espaciales que han permitido obtener resultados que confirman la hipótesis y cartografiar las áreas de mayor valor económico desde el punto de vista cinegético.

El enoturismo, en España y Portugal, viene ganando espacio entre las formas de turismo más tradicionales. Al mismo tiempo, la adopción de herramientas tecnológicas por parte del sector turístico es un proceso continuo y significativo que se refleja en una creciente presencia online de los consumidores que planifican sus viajes, siendo los sitios web cruciales para las empresas, ya que funcionan como puente de enlace directo entre los turistas, organizaciones y turistas. Con el fin de comprender cómo las bodegas pertenecientes a las tres rutas del vino de Extremadura (España), Alentejo y Região Centro (Portugal) utilizan Internet para potenciar su actividad y promocionar el enoturismo, en este artículo presentamos los resultados obtenidos a partir de la aplicación de una matriz de evaluación desarrollada con este fin. Del análisis de 100 sitios web, se verificó que la mayoría de las bodegas tienen sitios web muy estáticos, que ofrecen la mínima cantidad de información, demostrando que la mayoría de las bodegas no entiende el potencial real de Internet como herramienta de marketing para incrementar su actividad enoturística, sus servicios y su presencia en el mercado.