Estimation of roe deer density based on the abundance and rate of disappearance of their faeces from the forest

Abstract

P opulation density o f roe deer Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus. 1758) was assessed ina sm all forest (about 200 ha) surrounded with fields. T he m ethod used was based on know nam o u n ts o f roe deer faeces in the forest and their rate o f disappearance. Faeces d isappearancewas exponential, and the average tim e o f their persistence on the forest floor was 26 days insum m er. 70 in spring, and 118 in autum n. The faeces disappearance rate was significantlyaffected by w eather conditions (air tem perature, am o u n t o f rainfall, n um ber o f rainy days), aswell as by the activity o f coprophages. E stim ations o f roe deer density by driving the anim alsab o u t the forest, and by assessing the q u an tity o f faeces gave sim ilar results.