We report the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in the Netherlands. Serologic screening of roe deer found TBEV-neutralizing antibodies with a seroprevalence of 2%, and TBEV RNA was ...detected in 2 ticks from the same location. Enhanced surveillance and awareness among medical professionals has led to the identification of autochthonous cases.
To determine animal hepatitis E virus (HEV) reservoirs, we analyzed serologic and molecular markers of HEV infection among wild animals in Germany. We detected HEV genotype 3 strains in inner organs ...and muscle tissues of a high percentage of wild boars and a lower percentage of deer, indicating a risk for foodborne infection of humans.
The Roe Deer was present in the Monti Lepini (Southern Lazio) up to the first half of the nineteenth century, then it went locally extinct. In this note we report four new records of this species ...that testify for the current existence of a (likely very small) local population, which would represent the only other wild ungulate in the area, in addition to the very common Wild Boar.
In Poland, the environment occurs with the red deer, fallow deer, Eurasian elk and roe deer. Among the ruminants, changes occurring during ontogeny in the arterial system of the head, involving ...obliteration of the extracranial segment of the internal carotid artery. The aim of this study was to describe the presence and course of the internal carotid artery and indicate the timing of changes in the vascular system of the head associated with the process of obliteration of this vessel. The study was conducted on 146 representatives of the Cervidae family: red deer, fallow deer and roe deer This study showed the presence of a fully preserved internal carotid artery in fetuses and young animals up to the age of about two years. In animals of about 2.5 years of age, only the initial fragment of the internal carotid artery emerging from the carotid sinus and a short fragment directly through the rostral epidural rete mirabile were preserved. In adult animals older than three years the extracranial part of this artery was obliterated.
In Hungary the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is the most widespread big game, estimated population in 2016 exceeded three hundred and fifty thousand 1. The aim of this research is to find out what ...kind of differences and resemblances can be found in feeding strategies on the examined agricultural plain habitats. The feed selection habit of one of the most important big game in our homeland has not been researched yet in detail in the counties Csongrád and Békés, where the roe deer population is numerous and excellent. The detailed knowledge of the related specific feeding strategies contributes not only to the better cognition of this kind but also provides a developed opportunity for the game managers to reach better game husbandry results. Beyond the practical significance of the theme there are some other peculiarities to be cleared up in connection with the nourishment of roe deer: what kind of feeding strategies would be typical for the roe deer living on the plain at different food supply?
We examined roe deer in the southern part of Hungary, in different habitats, in the last two hunting seasons. The subject of the examination was the nasal botfly (Cephenemyia stimulator) larvae in ...the roe deer. We examined to what extent the larva influences key parameters of the roe deer. We researched the skulls of roe deer and we found the different developmental instar larvae. We collected all possible data about these roe deer: the age, the body weight, the condition, the sex and the trophy (antler) weight in case of the bucks. We analyzed and classified the collected and calculated data and specified the typical indicators of parasitology, e.g. the number of infected roe deer, the proportion of infected roe deer, the number of larvae, the parasitism, the prevalence, the mean intensity.
•Beavers select for areas with higher woody vegetation richness or alter woody plant species composition.•Exploitative competition between beavers and roe and red deer.•Human landscape impacts might ...be more important than species interactions.•Understanding beaver-ungulate interactions in human-dominated landscapes might reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
Beavers can change habitat composition by cutting down trees, digging, and damming activities, thereby affecting species richness and abundance. Although there is large body of literature regarding the effects of beaver activity on a wide range of taxonomic groups, relatively little is known about how space use by ungulates is affected by beavers in the human-dominated landscapes of Europe. Here, we present a case study from Denmark that investigated potential effects of beaver activity on mammals, with a special focus on roe deer and red deer. Beavers could either facilitate the presence of deer by providing food resources (increased abundance of deciduous trees and shrubs) or compete with them for resources. Using transect counts recording both cut and uncut stems of woody plants, we describe beaver browsing patterns, providing evidence that they either select for areas with higher woody vegetation richness and diversity, or alter woody plant species composition. We then assessed deer presence and relative abundance in relation to the distance from water and in areas with varying beaver activity. Our findings provide limited evidence for exploitative competition between beavers and roe and red deer, as roe and red deer avoided proximity to water in areas with high beaver activity, and deer numbers were higher in areas with low beaver activity. We speculate that the weak effect of beaver activity on deer (and/or vice versa) might be related to the large human impacts in the area, e.g., forest management, potentially superseding effects of interspecific competition. An improved understanding of the complex effects beavers can have on ungulates in human-dominated landscapes will be relevant for wildlife and forestry management, potentially being an important tool to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
•High red deer density increases browsing pressure on tree species, especially those taller than 50 cm.•Increasing browsing pressure increases deer preferences towards avoided species—European ...beech.•Patches with high sapling diversity generate a higher deer browsing risk.•The higher number of available saplings reduces browsing per patch.•Closed canopy attracts deer and increases the probability of browsing on saplings.
Large herbivores play a key role in terrestrial ecosystems, and their populations alter the plant composition in many ecosystems. One example is deer, whose populations in the Northern Hemisphere have increased over the last decades. This has resulted in increased browsing pressure on saplings and, as a consequence, has hampered forest regeneration in some areas. Such herbivore-induced changes in the regeneration of forest stands have changed their composition and biodiversity. Although there is an established link between the deer population density and the level of damage caused by browsing, the question remains open: What is the effect of increasing deer density over years on the regeneration of palatable and less browsing-resistant tree species? In this study, we investigated the relationships between the regeneration dynamics of five tree species (European beech Fagus sylvatica, silver fir Abies alba, sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus, hornbeam Carpinus betulus, and oak Quercus spp.) and browsing pressure in two years with low and high red deer (Cervus elaphus) density and at similar roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) density. We set up experimental plots in Roztocze National Park (central-eastern Poland), a protected area where natural predators of deer are constantly present. In addition to deer density, we analysed parameters that may affect browsing intensity: height of saplings, forage availability (sapling density), sapling diversity and light intensity (canopy openness). We found that increasing red deer density significantly increased browsing on all tree species, with saplings taller than 50 cm being under the strongest pressure. Moreover, higher deer density altered deer forage selection – it increased their selection for unpalatable European beech and decreased for highly preferred sycamore. Additionally, more species-diverse patches and closed canopy attracted deer and increased the probability of browsing on saplings. Contrary to our predictions, sapling density decreased browsing intensity. The study confirms that high ungulate density has significant effects on tree recruitment and may alter tree species composition of the forest stand. We provide clear evidence that deer herbivory plays a crucial role in tree regeneration in top-down processes in natural ecosystems.
Resource distribution, predation risk and disturbance in space and time can affect how animals use their environment. To date few studies have assessed the spatiotemporal trade-off between resource ...acquisition and avoidance of risks and human disturbance in small protected areas embedded in an urban matrix. A better understanding of the forage-safety trade-off in urban protected areas (UPA) is key to the design of evidence-based approaches to deal with the ever-increasing human-wildlife impacts typical of UPA. Herein, we analyzed camera trap data to evaluate how two ungulate species trade fear for food in a 60 km2 human-dominated UPA without natural predators. We found that wild boar (Sus scrofa) were predominantly active at night, while roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) showed a typical bimodal crepuscular activity pattern. Occupancy analysis indicated that deciduous forest and the presence of high seats for hunting played an important role in determining the space use of wild boar. For roe deer, we found indications that the presence of forest influenced space use, although the null model was retained among the top ranked models. Our results confirm that wild boar and roe deer are able to thrive in heavily human dominated landscapes characterized by intensive recreational use and hunting, such as protected areas embedded in an urban matrix.
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•We studied wild boar and roe deer activity and space use in an urban protected area.•Wild boar were nocturnal, while roe deer were crepuscular.•Forest availability was the main driver of wild boar and roe deer space use.•Behavioural adaptations resembled those found in similarly urbanized landscapes.•Wild boar and roe deer are able to thrive despite intensive recreation and hunting.
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