Situación de las poblaciones de corzo andaluz (Capreolus capreolus) en las sierras occidentales de Málaga

Abstract

We have monitored the presence of roe deer in 25 municipalities in the occidental mountians of Málaga. We estimated roe deer abundance (pellet groups counts/km) and relative density (deer/km2) by means of distance sampling and defecation rate conversion. We also analyzed the relationships between roe deer abundance and habitat vegetation and coverages by means of GLM models. Results are presented by hidrological basins. We found that roe deer relative density varied between 0.18 to 2.49 deer/km2. The highest values were found in the Hozgarganta river and the Genal river valley. The lowest was in the mountains around the Guadalhorce river basin. Roe deer abundance was positively related to the vicinity of roe deer population in the Cádiz mountains and to the coverage of mixed forests of oaks, pines and chestnuts. Roe deer abundance was negatively related to urban landuses, farmlands and dense pine forests. Our results are coherent with the hyphotesis of an expanding roe deer population in the Málaga mountains.