The purpose of this study is to examine the status of roe deer population in the hunting grounds of Central Serbia, and perform a SWOT analysis of its management. The data used herein on the number ...of roe deer individuals and culling events were obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management - Forest Administration and the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Moreover, the Law on Game and Hunting was used for analysis purposes. The status of roe deer population in the hunting grounds of Serbia is quite unsatisfactory, depending on the geographical area and wildlife management practices. In 2021, a total of 86,755 individuals were recorded in the area of Central Serbia, which accounts for 97.54% of the optimal population. However, the number of roe deer in the individual hunting grounds of the Central and Eastern hunting areas was above the optimal density, whereas the number of roe deer accounted for 88.58% and 89.12% of the optimal density in the individual hunting grounds of the Southern and Western hunting areas, respectively. The largest number of individuals per unit area (km2) was recorded in the Eastern (2.06) and Belgrade (2.02) hunting areas, whereas the smallest number of individuals per unit area (km2) was recorded in the Southern (1.02) and Western (1.34) hunting areas. The following issues were identified as major impediments to the management of roe deer population in the hunting grounds considered: legislative and regulatory instruments, non-compliance and non-enforcement of a large number of regulations, roe deer monitoring issues, poor hunting ground control, inapplicability of certain regulations in the field of veterinary medicine, environmental protection, unresolved issues of trophy and game meat export, lack of strategic planning (namely the hunting development strategies of the Republic of Serbia), lack of deer habitat monitoring methodology and rating methodology, and unprofessional planning and development of hunting ground management plans. The SWOT analysis performed emphasized the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of roe deer population management in Serbia.
ABSTRACT The research was conducted during the 2018/19 hunting year at three hunting grounds: "Barajevska reka" - "Takovo" and "Jadar". The average density of Roe deer in hunting grounds varied from ...48.67 to 74 individuals per 1,000 ha of hunting-productive area. However, when observing the number of individuals per 1,000 ha of total hunting area, the density varies from 16.07 individuals to 34.72 individuals. The determined gender ratio at the hunting ground "Jadar" was (M: F = 1: 0.93). At the hunting ground "Takovo", the gender ratio was (M: F = 1: 1.22), while at the hunting ground "Barajevska reka" the ratio was (M: F = 1: 1.59). The average fertility of Roe deer was 1.67 embryos per individual, or 1.75 embryos per pregnant female. Depending on the study area, the real growth varied from 0.54 to 0.73 fawns per female. Loss in Roe deer are caused mostly by biotic factors. The determined average age of shot individuals varied depending on the hunting ground from 3.53 to 5.24 years. The current state of Roe deer populations in Serbia varies between analyzed hunting grounds, but the overall situation is quite unsatisfactory, especially in terms of density, gender ratio and age structure of culled individuals.
RESUMO A pesquisa foi realizada durante o ano de caça de 2018/19 nos três locais de caça: "Barajevska reka" - "Takovo" e "Jadar". A densidade média de cabrito-montês em áreas de caça variou de 48,67 a 74 indivíduos por 1.000 ha de área produtiva de caça. Entretanto, ao observar o número de indivíduos por 1.000 ha de área total de caça, a densidade varia de 16,07 indivíduos a 34,72 indivíduos. A razão de gênero determinada no terreno de caça "Jadar" foi (M: F = 1: 0,93). No terreno de caça "Takovo", a proporção de gêneros era (M: F = 1: 1,22), enquanto no terreno de caça "Barajevska reka" (M: F = 1: 1,59). A fertilidade média do cervo Roe era de 1,67 embriões por indivíduo, ou 1,75 embriões por fêmea grávida. Dependendo da área de estudo, o crescimento real variou de 0,54 a 0,73 fulvos por fêmea. As perdas em cabrito-montês são causadas principalmente por fatores bióticos. A idade média determinada dos indivíduos abatidos variou de 3,53 a 5,24 anos, dependendo do terreno de caça. O estado atual das populações de cabrito-montês na Sérvia varia entre os locais de caça analisados, mas a situação geral é bastante insatisfatória, especialmente em termos de densidade, proporção de gênero e estrutura etária dos indivíduos abatidos.
The aim of this study was to determine the change in the value of
morpho-metric parameters of antlers and the total trophy score in relation
to the age of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.). The study ...was conducted on
228 roe deer trophies from the "Barajevska reka" hunting ground in Serbia,
aged one to seven years. From the second to the fourth year, the growth of
antlers was the most intense, and the differences compared to one year old
animals were significant (P <0.001). The highest average length of the
branches was monitored in six years old animals (22.4 ? 2.05 cm), with
significant differences (P <0.001) compared to younger animals, except for
the three years old animals (P>0.05). From the second to the fifth year, a
gradual increase in antler weight (from 192.2 ? 30.41 g to 221.9 ? 61.86 g)
and antler volume (from 74 cm3 to 90 cm3) was observed, with the highest
values of antler weight (291.8 ? 58.43 g and 319.1 ? 98.89 g, respectively)
and antler volume (123.8 cm3 and 121.2 cm3) in six and seven year old
animals. Overall trophy scores increased from year one to year seven (42.6 ?
7.86 vs 97.4 ? 27.40), with differences in trophy scores for animals aged
six and seven years significantly greater than for animals aged one to five
years (P <0.001). The highest quality antlers have six and seven year olds,
at which time their hunting should be conducted.
Summary
Tree saplings in temperate forests world‐wide experience intense browsing from deer and other mammalian herbivores. However, when compared to insect herbivory, our knowledge about the cues ...that trigger mammalian‐induced defence responses in trees is limited.
We studied responses of field‐grown saplings of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) to simulated browsing by (i) clipping apical buds or leaves and (ii) additionally applying roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) saliva to the cut surface. We analysed induced changes in phytohormones and phenolics in the saplings’ remaining buds or leaves, respectively.
In both species, jasmonates were activated after clipping of buds and leaves. Importantly, additional saliva application activated salicylic acid in beech leaves and led to increases in cytokinins in beech buds. Saliva application also led to an increased biosynthesis of several hydrolysable tannins (mainly ellagitannins) and flavonols in maple leaves. Condensed tannins, the most abundant phenolics in beech buds and leaves, did not change after either clipping or saliva application. However, clipping with additional saliva application decreased levels of phenolic acids (cinnamic acid derivatives) in beech buds.
We conclude that the two tree species perceive and respond to unknown elicitors in the deer saliva, resulting in changes in phytohormone levels and defence‐associated secondary metabolites.
We suggest that variation in induced defence responses between tree species as well as between buds and leaves is related to differences in morphological traits, which interrelate with chemical traits and result in species‐specific strategies to respond to mammalian herbivory.
Lay Summary
When habitat use by field‐dwelling animals coincides in space and time with agricultural practices such as spring mowing of meadows, human‐wildlife conflicts can have deadly consequences for ...wildlife. Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) fawns are particularly vulnerable because they hide in meadows during the rearing phase. Thus, a better understanding of the habitat drivers of bed‐site selection is critical to mitigating fawn mortality during mowing. Here, we tease apart the among‐field (presumably driven by maternal behaviour) and within‐field (driven by fawn behaviour) components of bed‐site selection of roe deer during the spring mowing season. We collected over 600 fawn bed sites across an environmentally diverse study region. At the among‐field scale, we implemented a used versus available design and employed a two‐part statistical model (GAMLSS) to identify habitat characteristics that were linked to either fawn presence (vs. absence) or abundance on a given field. At the within‐field scale, we compared habitat characteristics at fawn bed‐sites with paired random sites using a conditional logistic regression model. At the among‐field scale, fawns were more likely to be present, and were more abundant, in fields within more diverse, rural landscapes, with nearby woodland. Surprisingly, fawns were more often present in fields that were near roads and had lower vegetation productivity. At the within‐field scale, however, fawns preferred bed‐sites which were further from both roads and woodland, but that provided the best visual cover to minimise predation risk. Our findings revealed substantial and novel scale‐dependent differences in the drivers of habitat selection of mothers and fawns, which, together, determine the precise locations of bed‐sites between and within meadows. These results may aid wildlife managers in identifying areas where there is a high probability of encountering a roe deer fawn so as to initiate targeted searches prior to mowing and, ultimately, mitigate fawn mowing mortality.
Grassland mowing is a major cause of mortality for roe deer fawns and a text‐book example for human‐wildlife conflicts due to the lack of information on factors that characterise bed‐sites. We differentiated between the maternal and neonatal behavioural components to explain the scale‐dependent biological drivers of bed‐site selection of roe deer with an innovative approach.
Abstract Hunting tourism can have significant positive economic effects on the local community. The objective of the paper is to estimate the direct economic impact of roe deer hunting tourism, with ...a focus on regional level, by applying the Nordic Model. Analysis was based on data gathered in the autumn of 2021, from the interviews with hunting ground managers and hunting tourism outfitters, and a literature review. The length of stay of tourist hunters ranged from 2 to 6 days. According to the interviews and statistical data, one hunting tourist spent an average of 2,121 € per hunting day in Serbia. In 2019 the direct economic income of roe deer hunting tourism in Vojvodina was 623,574 €. The regional economic impact of hunting tourism in Vojvodina is significant given the small number of tourists from whom substantial income is generated. Developing of hunting activates on one or more game species could bring significant economic benefits to these kind of local communities. Resources raised through hunting tourism are later used in these regions through direct investment and as a tool for sustainable wildlife management, and thus, the ecological and economic sustainability of hunting tourism is crucial and must be considered in future development process.
The central Iberian Peninsula has one of the highest densities of roe deer populations in Spain. A new motorway is planned to pass through the middle of the distribution of roe deer, thus making it ...necessary to conduct a connectivity analysis. A map of resistance to roe deer dispersal movements was obtained based on the literature and expert judgment. Three factors were selected: land use (defined by the ability to hide movements, food source, and degree of naturalness), landforms, and influence due to proximity to elements that increase (such as roads and urban areas) or decrease (water resources and proximity to optimal habitat patches) resistance at the local level. Different combinations of factors derived using the analytical hierarchy and fuzzy logic processes were analysed and compared with the real distribution of the species. More realistic resistance (cost) values were obtained for gamma values close to 0.9. This highlights the greater predominance of the fuzzy sum over the fuzzy product in modelling the cost surface. Better results were obtained in scenarios where the predominant factors were either land use and landforms or land use and proximity to human-modified areas. This indicates that roe deer will readily range far from their optimal patches if the land use provides partial cover. These movements appear to be conditioned by steep terrain. Our case study offers a good example of building a cost resistance matrix to help locate areas where the expansion of the species may be curbed or encouraged.
1. Summer home range size variation and habitat selection of 35 radio-collared adult female roe deer was studied, using kernel home range estimation and compositional analysis of habitat use. 2. ...Female roe deer adjust the size of their home range in response to decreasing food supply, and the hypothesis that female roe deer utilize the minimum area that sustain their energy requirement cannot be rejected. 3. Home range size increased with the visibility in the home range (the average distance at which sight is blocked by intervening vegetation). This supports the hypothesis that cover is important in reducing the risk of predation and thereby increasing adult survival. 4. Female roe deer spend more time near habitat edges, supporting the hypothesis that different habitat types contain complementary resources, e.g. food and cover or different nutrients. Simultaneous access to several habitat types did not have any effect on home range size, possibly because variation in heterogeneity between different home ranges was too low. 5. Females without fawns had smaller home ranges, possibly because they only need to sustain their own energetic requirements. 6. The analyses of habitat selection inside each home range showed that the forest types, characterized by high densities of food and low visibility, were preferred, suggesting that habitat use is allocated in proportion to either food or cover or both.
This study on the lacrimal gland (LG) and the superficial gland of the third eyelid (SGTE) was conducted on 21 sexually mature Roe deer (11 males and 10 females). The research material was obtained ...from Roe deer shot by the Hunting Association during their prescribed hunting season. The shape and topography of the glands are described macroscopically. The LG has a triangular shape in all the investigated individuals and it is located in the dorsolateral angle of the orbit, between the tendons of the dorsal rectus and the lateral rectus muscles of the eyeball. The SGTE is oval in shape and it is located between the medial rectus muscle and the ventral rectus muscle of the eyeball and it is partially covered with the ventral oblique muscle of the eyeball. The SGTE is situated around the cartilage of the third eyelid During histological and ultrastructural analyses using light and transmission electron microscopy, it was established that the LG is a tubulo-acinar gland. Histochemical examination demonstrates that excretory cells are in general PAS-negative and Alcian blue pH 2.5-negative, and thus this gland can be regarded as a serous gland. The SGTE exhibits also a tubulo-acinar morphology. The histochemical study showed that the SGTE is of a combined nature, i.e. with serous cells (PAS-negative and Alcian blue pH 2.5-negative), mucous (PAS-positive and Alcian blue pH 2.5-positive) and seromucous cells (PAS-positive and Alcian blue pH 2.5-positive). Upon electron microscopic examination, LG and SGTE secretory cells exhibited a similar ultrastructure appearance, with secretory cells tightly filled with intracytoplasmatic secretory granules. Neither the body size nor gender had a significant influence on the size of the LG and the SGTE (t-test: P>0.05). The ultrastructure and function of the investigated eyeball’s glands in Roe deer was similar to those observed in other species, like cattle, camel and bison.
The focus of studies of sexual dimorphism has been mainly on size whereas shape has remained largely ignored when assessing population differentiation. In order to extract exclusive information about ...shape variability, we combined multivariate statistical procedures with geometric morphometrics and visualization techniques (thin plate splines). All roe deer skulls, used in this study, originated from a single population in Serbia. Our results showed statistically significant sexual dimorphism of male and female skull shape. Different patterns of shape variability in males and females were observed, such as broader cranial base in males and elongated and more slender shape of female skull, with narrower basicranium. Shape differences appear to be regulated only broadly by social structure and sexual selection, and some other mechanisms could be proposed for further explanation of sexual dimorphism.
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