130925-studie-wildlife-comeback-in-europe

of occurrence, including 11 which support more
than 50,000 individuals (Table 2), e.g. France,
Sweden and Poland. However, data were missing
from the largest population in Germany, as well as
other important countries numbering more than
200,000 individuals such as Austria, Spain and
Denmark, and there were no data from mediumsized
populations of between 80,000 and 200,000
individuals (Table 2).
Drivers of recovery
While no significant factors for recovery could be
discerned from the data set, this is unsurprising,
considering the fact that despite covering over
a quarter of the countries of occurrence, only 3%
of individuals were represented (Table 2). A review
of the literature suggests that, at least initially,
legal protection [13] , reduced exploitation [13, 31] and
reintroductions and translocations played an
important role in the recovery of the Roe deer
across Europe (Table 3). This is particularly true
in Italy [13] , where most of the current southern
populations are the result of such management
intervention [22] , England where individuals from
the continent and Scotland were reintroduced [8, 13] ,
and in Switzerland [32] , Portugal [25] and Finland [13] .
Increasingly connected populations and local
recoveries also led to natural recolonisation, for
example in Switzerland [32] , Portugal [25] , Norway [13]
and Finland [13] . The reduction in hunting (France,
Germany, Switzerland and Sweden [13, 31] ) and lower
competition and predation (e.g. fox reduction
resulting from sarcoptic mange in Denmark [17] ,
and of various competitors and predators in
Sweden [13, 31] ) have also been beneficial.
Most importantly, however, sudden expansion
into open agricultural landscapes in the 1960s
(particularly in central European countries such
as Hungary [21] and Slovakia [28] ) has been implicated
in the recovery of the species over the
past 50 years. In other regions, this habitat shift
did not occur until later, although the species is
now present in over 90% of mainland France [19] .
As a result, open mosaic habitat of forest,
meadow and agricultural land now supports
some of the highest densities of this formerly
forest-restricted species in many countries [18, 20, 28] .
Similarly, numbers are often much lower in areas
traditionally thought of as ideal habitat, such as
the Slovakian Carpathians [28] . While one reason
for this habitat shift is undoubtedly the deer’s
great ecological flexibility and ability to exploit
a variety of different resources, land use changes
have also played a role. For example, the sowing
Rank Reason for change Description
1 Other – Habitat shift The expansion into open agricultural landscapes led
to increases across the range, including Hungary [21] ,
Slovakia [28] and France [19] . Densities are now highest
in open mosaic habitat of forest and meadow,
agricultural fields [18, 20, 28] .
2 Other – Species ecology The Roe deer is an opportunistic and flexible
feeder [4] , which can exploit a variety of resources.
It is considered one of the best-adapted species for
cultivated land [2, 7] .
3 Land/water protection &
management – Land use
changes
4 Land/water protection &
management – Increased
food availability
Beneficial land use changes include change in
agricultural practices, abandonment of agricultural
land and changes in forestry practices, all of which
are described in more detail below.
The sowing of cereals in the autumn rather than
spring provides substantial additional food over
the winter [9] . Access to winter green pasture in
Denmark [17] and winter feed in Sweden [31] have
resulted in decreased mortality.
5 Other – Land abandonment Abandonment of marginal agricultural land
has been particularly beneficial in Denmark [13] ,
Sweden [31] , Slovenia [29] , Switzerland [13] and Spain [47] .
This also has an effect on the level of disturbance
and hunting.
6 Land/water protection &
management – Change in
forestry practices
7 Species management –
Reintroductions and
translocations
8 Other – Natural
recolonisation
9 Other – Reduction in
predators and competitors
Amended forestry practices have also contributed
to an increase in available habitat in Denmark [13] ,
Sweden [31] , Slovenia [29] , Switzerland [13] and Spain [13] .
Reintroductions and translocations have been
important in Italy [13, 22] , the UK [8, 13] , Switzerland [32] ,
Portugal [25] and Finland [13] .
Natural recolonisations have occurred in many
parts of the Roe deer’s range, particularly
in Switzerland [32] , Portugal [25] , Norway from
Sweden [13] , and Finland from Russia and Sweden [13] .
Roe deer increased as a result of the reduction of
foxes due to sarcoptic mange in Denmark [17] and of
[13, 31]
competitors and large predators in Sweden
10 Legislation Legal protection in Bulgaria [13] .
11 Species management –
Reduced exploitation
More restrictive hunting laws led to recoveries
in France [13] , Germany [13] , Switzerland [13] and
Sweden [31] .
of cereals in the autumn (eg. winter wheat) is a
fairly new practice compared to sowing in spring,
providing substantial additional food over the
otherwise lean winter months [9] . An increase
in available food can greatly reduce mortality
in winter, as has been shown in Denmark [17] and
Sweden [31] . In addition, the depopulation of rural
areas, which has a profound effect on the level of
disturbance and hunting, will also have been in
the species’ favour by providing more high-quality
habitat [9] . Abandonment of marginal agricultural
land have been particularly beneficial in
Denmark [13] , Sweden [31] , Slovenia [29] , Switzerland [13]
and Spain [47] , where amended forestry practices
have also contributed to an increase in available
habitat.
Overall, a range of factors have been implicated
in the change in abundance of the Roe deer (Table
3). While it is likely that many have ceased to be
important in the maintenance of high population
densities across Europe, the recent comeback of
large predators may impact deer numbers in the
future.
Table 3.
Major reasons for
positive change in the
status of the Roe deer
in Europe.
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