Organochlorine residues in adipose tissue of chamois from the Catalan Pyrenees, Spain

(ENG) Organochlorine chemicals, including pesticides and industrial products, have been found to be present in aquatic (Martineau et al. 1987, Muir et al. 1988) and terrestrial (Brunn et al. 1985, Mason et al. 1986) mammal species. Although some of these animals are not edible or not specially important as a source of proteins for human or domestic animals, the detection of accumulated organochlorine compounds in their bodies is useful to control the grade of extension and to monitor the evolution of these xenobiotics in biosphere (Dowd et al. 1985, Somers et al. 1987). Data on this subject in south-west european non-migratory mammalian wildlife, is for the most part unknown. The chamois or ''izard" (Rupicapra rupicapra) is a typical inhabitant of many euroasiatic high mountains. They are consumers of alpine herbs, leaves of trees and bushes, and can be considered as intermediate animals in the food chain. Chamois are relatively sedentary; therefore their organochlorine residue profile may serve as an indicator for the level of contamination in their habitats, and can also be representative for the european non-carnivore mammalian wildlife. There are two subspecies of chamois in Spain. The pyrenean chamois (R. rupicapra pyrenaica) is fortunately present in sufficient number in some zones of the Catalan Pyrenees, that its hunting for population control is allowed during a short period of the year. The Natural Park of Cadi-Moixero is one of these zones: located in the north of Catalonia, near the frontier with France and Andorra, its extension is 413 km2 and the height range from 900 to 2,647 m. Only an insignificant part of its soil is dedicated to agricultural uses, and no industries are found inside or near its domain. The purpose of this work is to present organochlorine residue data for chamois collected in this zone.