Roe deer population and harvest changes in Europe

Abstract

INTRODUCTION European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) is the most abundant cervid occurring in most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Cyprus, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, and the majority of the smaller islands). They are also found in Asia (IUCN, 2007). Historically, between the late 19th and early 20th centuries the roe deer distribution was reduced and their range was very fragmented as a consequence of almost uncontrolled hunting and other types of human activities (Baleisis et al., 2003). From the beginning of the 20th century the European roe deer population started to increase again (Andersen et al., 1998). During the last half of the century roe deer became widespread and it is still expanding in many areas (Fig. 1). Total roe deer range covers 7.2 million [km.sup.2]. Densities in the northern and southern parts of the range tend to be lower than in central parts of the range. The central European population is estimated to number about 15 million individuals (IUCN, 2007). In Europe roe deer are a resource with great economic value for meat production and sport hunting. Roe deer also have a cultural value for recreational activities, and ecological value as part of European biodiversity (Andersen et al., 1998). However, overabundant roe deer populations may cause serious damage to forest plantations and agricultural crops, may be involved in road traffic accidents and spread of diseases. As a consequence of density dependent regulation, at very high densities they can seriously compromise their own welfare (Speyside Deer Management Group, 2007). [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] As roe deer is a very important big game species in Europe, the estimates of its population sizes and the knowledge of annual harvests are essential wildlife management information. To contribute to the understanding of roe deer population changes we have collected such data. The purpose of our study was to: (1) evaluate the actual population status and harvest of roe deer in Europe; (2) compare the magnitude of population and harvest changes between 1984 and the early 2000s based on the available statistical information; (3)reveal the relationship between population size and harvest among European countries/regions. MATERIAL AND METHODS We collected roe deer population size and harvest data in Europe for two different periods, namely 1984 (Table 1) and the early 2000s (Table 2). In order to evaluate the current status of roe deer in Europe we collected recently published data from the national statistics websites, other Internet sources, and published sources of information. It was not possible to find data for all countries for the same year; however, most of the data are for 2005-2006 (Table 2). We found that the reliability of data sources is very different among various countries. In some cases poaching is a very important factor (Macedonia, European Russia, Ukraine) and reported harvest numbers may strongly understate real values (Velevski et al., 2003; Kuzyakin, 2007; PROFOR, 2006). The recent population size data for Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden taken from (EFSA, 2004) are approximate values as stressed in that document. These data were used only because of the lack of more reliable information. In some cases data were available only for part of the country. For example, we found data only for the Walloon region of Belgium while for the rest of the country (the Flemish Region) information is missing. In some sources data were inaccurate and erroneous (Moldova, Ukraine). Despite all the above-mentioned shortcomings, the data seemed acceptable for a general overview of the status of roe deer population in Europe. On the basis of the available numbers we calculated deer density and hunting rate for both periods and the magnitude of roe deer population and harvest changes during the last 20 years. …