scholarly journals Use of aerial thermography to reduce mortality of roe deer fawns before harvest

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6923 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Cukor ◽  
Jan Bartoška ◽  
Jan Rohla ◽  
Jan Sova ◽  
Antonín Machálek
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Imaging Device ◽  
Short Time Span ◽  
Short Time

In agricultural landscape, there are thousands of young wild animals killed every year. Their deaths are caused mostly by agricultural fieldworks during spring harvest. Among the affected animals there are also fawns of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), which react to danger by pressing themselves against the ground in order to be protected from predators. There were various methods tested in the past aimed at decreasing roe deer mortality caused by agriculture machinery with varied levels of success. This contribution presents technology that documents the possibility of searching for fawns with a thermal imaging device carried by an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The results are based on field research that estimated the ideal height of flight being ±40 meters above ground. If the climatic conditions are favourable, it is possible to monitor and mark fawn locations using GPS coordinates in an area of about 14 ha in 25 minutes, which is the average flight time of UAV on one battery charge. The thermo-camera is very reliable in finding fawns in early morning hours (4 to 6 a.m.) when there is the highest temperature contrast between the searched object and its surroundings. The main limiting factors are climatic conditions and the short time span in which the thermo-camera can be used. If the basic requirements are met, the rate of successful fawn detection can be even up to 100%. An undisputed advantage of this method is the possibility of involvement of local gamekeepers. Thus the agricultural fieldworks are not interrupted.

scholarly journals Extensive Orchards in the Agricultural Landscape: Effective Protection against Fraying Damage Caused by Roe Deer

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 3738
Author(s):  
Petr Marada ◽  
Jan Cukor ◽  
Rostislav Linda ◽  
Zdeněk Vacek ◽  
Stanislav Vacek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Efficiency ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Southeastern Part ◽  
Plastic Tube ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Observed Damage

The objective of this research was to determine the efficiency of different types of protective barriers and how they protect against fraying damage in extensive fruit tree orchards. Orchards in open agricultural land are the target of fraying damage caused by roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.). We assessed the effectiveness of four protective barriers: a rabbit-proof fence, a standard plastic tube commonly used in forestry, and an innovative plastic tube—variants with and without an additional rendering fat application. The study was situated in three extensive orchards in the southeastern part of Moravia in the Czech Republic. We analyzed the ratio of damaged trees, stem circumference damage, the length and height of damage on tree stems, the time periods with the most observed damage, and finally, the economic efficiency of each studied barrier. Most of the damage was observed in April and July. The most effective protective barrier was the innovative tube with rendering fat application (up to 100%) followed closely by the innovative tube without rendering fat application (95%). The standard plastic tube had an effectiveness of 49%, while the rabbit-proof fence was the least effective at 25%. In terms of the mean damage-lengths on tree stems, we found no significant differences between the rabbit-proof fence and the standard plastic tubes (21–22 cm). The usage of the innovative plastic tube without rendering fat reduced the average damage-length by half (10 cm) as compared to standard types (rabbit-proof fence, standard tube) of protection. The damage-heights on tree stems showed no significant differences among all variants (53–58 cm from the ground). Our analysis of economic parameters showed that rabbit-proof fencing had the worst cost efficiency, while the innovative tubes without rendering fat, had the best cost efficiency. We recommend starting the installation of protective barriers on trees in March, since we recorded relatively high activity of male roe deer in the following months.

scholarly journals Monitoring of facultative avian scavengers on large mammal carcasses in Dinaric forest of Slovenia

Acrocephalus ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (148-149) ◽  
pp. 45-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miha Krofel
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Interspecific Interactions ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Large Carnivores ◽  
Grey Wolf ◽  
Large Mammal ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Dinaric Mountains ◽  
Short Time

Monitoring of facultative avian scavengers on large mammal carcasses in Dinaric forest of SloveniaFacultative vertebrate scavengers have an important role in forest ecosystems, however, not much is known as to their use of carrion in temperate forests. Three carcasses of Red DeerCervus elaphusand European Roe DeerCapreolus capreolusfound dead or killed by Grey WolfCanis lupuswere monitored in March and April 2010 and 2011 on Menišija Plateau in northern Dinaric Mountains (central Slovenia) using photo-trapping and video surveillance. Carcasses were monitored for 26 days, during which 708 photos and 43 video recordings of scavengers were taken. In the 91% of all visits recorded, birds were the most frequent scavengers, with Common BuzzardButeo buteoas the most frequent species present at 76% of all visits. On average, Buzzards returned to carcasses twice per day, with an average visit lasting 29 min. Common Buzzards used carcasses to a significantly higher degree on days with snow cover, which was due to the more frequent visits per day and not to longer visits. Recorded antagonistic interspecific interactions suggested that Common Buzzards were the dominant species in the observed avian scavenger guild, as they displaced RavensCorvus coraxand GoshawkAccipiter gentilisfrom the carcass. However, Ravens frequently mobbed Common Buzzards while scavenging. Once an Ural OwlStrix uralensisalso visited prey remains of Grey Wolf, but feeding could not be confirmed. Observations suggested that carcasses of large mammals could be locally and temporarily an important food source for some facultative avian scavengers in Dinaric forests, especially in times when other food is scarce. Data from the two wolf kills also confirm the importance of predation by large carnivores in providing food for scavengers. Given the small amount of meat consumed, kleptoparasitism by solitary raptors did not bring significant losses to large carnivores, whereas gregarious avian scavengers like corvids can importantly affect the consumption process and consume large amount of biomass in a relatively short time.

Seasonal migration and home range of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in the Italian eastern Alps

2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 280-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ramanzin ◽  
E. Sturaro ◽  
D. Zanon
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Seasonal Migration ◽  
Migration Strategy ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Winter Range ◽  
Short Period

Although it has been demonstrated that European roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus (L. 1758)) may migrate seasonally in areas with snow gradients, this behaviour remains scarcely understood. From 1999 to 2002, radio-tracking techniques in an Italian alpine area showed that 40% of the 32 monitored roe deer migrated (12.0 ± 6.2 km, mean ± SD) from the high-elevation summer ranges to the low-elevation winter ranges. Proportions of migratory deer were similar for fawns and adults and for males and females. We documented a mixed migration strategy, with most deer migrating once to the winter range in years of heavy snowfalls, but many deer migrating inconsistently or only for a short period to the winter range in one year with very scarce snowfalls. Seasonal home-range sizes were similar for migratory and stationary deer, except in a winter with very shallow snow when migrators used unusually large home ranges. In all seasons, migrators showed a lower within home range site fidelity than did stationary deer. Our results indicate that seasonal migrations may be a common strategy exhibited by roe deer living in mountain areas to avoid deep snow, and that variability in climatic conditions might be responsible for the development of variable spatial strategies.

Variation in reproduction of a temperate deer, the southern pudu (Pudu puda)

2012 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 735
Author(s):  
Fernando Vidal ◽  
Jo Anne M. Smith-Flueck ◽  
Werner T. Flueck ◽  
Luděk Bartoš
Keyword(s):  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Sexual Hormones ◽  
In The Wild

Pudu (Pudu puda), occurring in the southern cone of Latin America, has been classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), yet little is known about this animal in the wild, with most knowledge on the breeding behaviour coming from captive animals. For this second-smallest deer in the world, delayed implantation has been suggested to explain the two peaks in the annual cycle of male sexual hormones on the basis of the accepted tenet that the breeding period occurs only once a year, between March and June. However, in the present study, birth dates from fawns born at the Los Canelos semi-captive breeding centre in Chile and male courting behaviour revealed the possibility of two rutting periods: autumn and spring. To our knowledge, this is the first time that late-fall births (May through early June for 17% of fawns in the study population) have been recorded for the southern pudu; two of these four births were conceived by females in the wild. From zoo and captive-animal birth records (n = 97), only three fawns were born in the fall. For all births combined (n = 121), 77% occurred in spring. The roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Pere David deer (Elaphurus davidianus) have been considered the only two temperate cervids in which sexual activity is initiated by increasing daylength and which breed in early summer. Yet, the present results indicate a similar response from the southern pudu when under a wild or semi-captive environment, with breeding taking place in spring. These results suggest that this species may either have two reproductive periods per year or retains the capacity to be a breeder for a much more extended period of time than documented by earlier studies. Pudu, like other temperate deer, is responsive to photoperiod for timing its breeding period, but may further optimise its production of offspring by also responding to other environmental cues such as seasonal variation in food supply when climatic conditions are favourable.

Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) mortality in relation to fodder harvest in agricultural landscape

Mammalia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 461-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Cukor ◽  
František Havránek ◽  
Zdeněk Vacek ◽  
Karel Bukovjan ◽  
Vilém Podrázský ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Search Method ◽  
Innovative Methods ◽  
Hunting Dogs ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Intensively Managed

Abstract In the agricultural landscape, thousands of animals are killed yearly as a result of agricultural machinery innovation, mostly because of a higher harvesting speed and wider cutting bars. Harvesting machines besides predation by red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) on roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) in the intensively managed cultural landscape are the most crucial factor in fawn mortality. This article offers an evaluation of the mostly used preventive methods, which aim to drive roe deer does along with their fawns out of fodder meadows prepared for harvest in the Czech Republic. Evaluation of efficiency and effectiveness of the different methods was made based on the questionnaire survey published in a professional hunting journal. The assessment of responses from a survey was followed by a field-based investigation conducted before fodder harvesting. The devices studied for efficiency were acoustic, optical and scent deterrents in comparison to the traditional search method combined with volunteers and hunting dogs. The results show differences in the number of fawns saved per hectare. A significant difference was found only between the optical deterrent method (0.4 fawns saved per hectare) and traditional search method (0.09 fawns saved per hectare). This study found no substantial difference among various deterring devices in terms of their effectiveness in reducing the mortality of roe deer fawns. Thus, it is important to explore the innovative methods in the future that can work most effectively for saving not only deer fawns, but also other game animals in the cultural landscape.

scholarly journals Tick infestation on roe deer in relation to geographic and remotely sensed climatic variables in a tick-borne encephalitis endemic area

2007 ◽  
Vol 136 (10) ◽  
pp. 1416-1424 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. CARPI ◽  
F. CAGNACCI ◽  
M. NETELER ◽  
A. RIZZOLI
Keyword(s):  
Tick Infestation ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Remotely Sensed ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Climatic Data ◽  
Tick Abundance ◽  
Tick Borne Encephalitis

SUMMARYRoe deer Capreolus capreolus are among the most important feeding hosts for the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus, thus contributing to the occurrence of tick-borne diseases in Europe. Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), which is transmitted by co-feeding of larvae and nymphs on rodents, requires precise climatic conditions to occur. We used roe deer as sentinels for potential circulation of TBE virus in Northern Italy, by examining the association between tick infestation, occurrence of TBE human cases, geographical and climatic parameters. Tick infestation on roe deer, and particularly frequency of co-feeding, was clearly associated with the geographic location and the autumnal cooling rate. Consistently, TBE occurrence in humans was geographically related to co-feeding tick abundance. The surveillance of tick infestation on roe deer, combined with remotely sensed climatic data, could therefore be used as an inexpensive early risk assessment tool of favourable conditions for TBE emergence and persistence in humans.

Predation by red fox on European roe deer fawns in relation to age, sex, and birth date

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 416-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Jarnemo ◽  
Olof Liberg ◽  
Steffan Lockowandt ◽  
Agneta Olsson ◽  
Kjell Wahlström
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Total Mortality ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Birth Date ◽  
Birth Peak ◽  
Overall Mortality

Mortality in radio-marked European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758)) neonates was studied during 14 years in a mixed forest–agricultural landscape in Sweden. A total of 233 fawns were marked. Births were synchronized, with 79% occurring during 25 days and a peak between 25 May and 7 June encompassing 62% of the births. Overall mortality was 42%, but in three single years, it exceeded 85%. Predation by red fox (Vulpes vulpes Desmarest, 1820) accounted for 81% of total mortality. The effects of age, sex, and time of birth on the vulnerability to predation were analysed. Fawns born just after the birth peak had the lowest predation risk. Predation rate was highest for the fawns that had the very earliest or the very latest birth dates. Predation thereby seems to strengthen the birth synchrony in roe deer. Contrary to earlier published findings, there was no difference in susceptibility to predation between the sexes. Also differing from earlier findings was that predation rate was highest during the first week of life and declined thereafter almost linearly. The majority of the fawns (85%) were killed before 30 days of age and 98% before 40 days. Different types of landscapes may explain the discrepancies between our study and earlier findings.

scholarly journals Response of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) to seasonal and local changes in dietary energy content and quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 1315
Author(s):  
Andreas König ◽  
Martina Hudler ◽  
Sarah-Alica Dahl ◽  
Carmen Bolduan ◽  
Daniel Brugger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Fibre Content ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Crude Fibre ◽  
Forest Habitat ◽  
Natural Diet ◽  
Agricultural Habitat

Context In terms of their nutritional physiology, roe deer have been called ‘concentrate selectors’. This implies that they select proteins in their diet and are not able to digest fibre. It is, thus, suggested that in an agricultural landscape, they are unable to digest the high fibre content of arable crops and, thus, suffer and need to be given supplementary feed. Aims Our aim was to determine the nutrient composition and energy content of the roe deer diet in an agricultural habitat compared with that in a natural forest habitat. Methods Rumen contents of 245 roe deer were collected to represent each month of the year for 3 years, weighed, and analysed by standard methods for nutrient and fibre content. Key results Roe deer in the agricultural habitat had rumen contents with significantly higher metabolisable energy (ME) concentrations, with a median of 6.2 MJ ME/kg DM, than did roe deer in the forest habitat, where the median was 5.4 MJ ME/kg DM. The mass of rumen contents in the forest habitat was, on average, 240 g higher than that in the agricultural habitat. Roe deer in the forest habitat compensate for the lower energy concentration in their natural diet by increasing their food intake. The concentration in the agricultural habitat is a result of the higher proportion of easily digestible carbohydrates in the diet. The concentration of crude protein in the rumen contents did not differ statistically between the two areas. In both habitats, the mean crude fibre concentration varied between 24% DM and 34% DM, and was significantly higher in the forest. The concentration of crude fibre selected by the roe deer is similar to the concentration of crude fibre known to be selected by red deer and fallow deer (intermediate feeders) and mouflon (a grazer) (Hofmann 1989). Conclusions The term ‘concentrate selector’ should be replaced by ‘selector’ to avoid misinterpretations. Energy shortfalls were not observed in either of the populations during the study period. Implications Supplemental feeding was not necessary to maintain the population.

scholarly journals Ticks on game animals in the fragmented agricultural landscape of western Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 1781-1788
Author(s):  
Olaf Ciebiera ◽  
Andżelina Łopińska ◽  
Grzegorz Gabryś
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Dermacentor Reticulatus ◽  
Medical Problems ◽  
Haemaphysalis Concinna ◽  
First Time ◽  
Game Animals

AbstractTicks (Acari: Ixodida) are well known external parasites of game animals that cause serious veterinary and medical problems. The occurrence and geographical distribution of different species of ticks in Western Poland have changed over the last decades. The purpose of the present study was to determine the species spectrum and prevalence of ticks parasitizing three species of game animals, the Eurasian wild boar Sus scrofa L., red deer Cervus elaphus L., and roe deer Capreolus capreolus (L.) in two hunting districts in Lubuskie Province. In addition, the distribution of ticks on the host’s body and the intensity of infestation were determined. Ticks were collected from dead animals during the hunting seasons in 2013 and 2014, over the periods from May to June and from August to December. In total, 286 specimens were examined: 138 Eurasian wild boars, 8 red deers, and 140 roe deers. Altogether, 1891 ticks were collected. Three species of ticks were determined: Ixodes ricinus (L.), Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794), and Haemaphysalis concinna (C.L. Koch, 1844). H. concinna was recorded for the first time in Lubuskie Province.

Enamel Thickness Differs between Field and Forest European Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Jan Demesko ◽  
Marta Kurek ◽  
Patrycja Podlaszczuk ◽  
Janusz Markowski
Keyword(s):  
Roe Deer ◽  
Capreolus Capreolus ◽  
Enamel Thickness
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