Notes on Ovis aries musimon in the Bohemian Lands according to hunting statistics (Artiodactyla: Bovidae)

Abstract

Determining the exact numbers of introduced or invasive species is generally complicated. The mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) has been bred in the territory of the present Czech Republic since the 18th century as a game. It is known from archival sources when and through which channels the species appeared in the Czech territory. Its population growth can be assessed based on hunting statistics, which cannot provide completely accurate numbers, but indicate the trends reliably. During the 20th century, however, the mouflon occurred increasingly in the wild. Data from hunting statistics indicate a massive increase in its population during the second half of the 20th century.