studia universitatis babeş – bolyai geographia 1

COLONISATION, EVOLUTION AND STATE-OF-THE-ART OF THE FALLOW DEER POPULATION …
that year, that is only 5 years after acclimation, the population had doubled. Again 20
specimens more in 1981-1982, so that in the spring of 1982 there were 100 Fallow Deer, in
equal sex ratio.
In 1983 there were 110 (50 males and 60 females) and in March 1984 the figure
rose to 115.
The hard winter of 1984/1985, one of the frostiest winters in the 20th century, led
to a slight decrease of the species, 5 fewer specimens (all males) being registered in spring
1985 compared to the same time the previous year.
Over the 1986-1989 interval, the population kept again growing steadily, with
natural increases of 15-25 specimens: 130 individuals (60 males and 70 females) in 1986;
145 (70 males and 75 females) in 1987.
Nearly ten years after colonisation the Fallow Deer effectives recorded an over
five- time increase; some specimens started migrating northwards and north-westwards to
the forests of Bărboşi and Bârza, respectively.
Bărboşi Forest (39 ha) lies at 0.5 km north of Papiu Forest and extends 3 km from
west to east. It is situated on the homonymous hill, at 380-480 m altitude, on a northoriented
slope. Bărboşi Village (Zau de Câmpie Commune) stands somehow close to the
northern forest edge.
Bârza Forest (55 ha) extends along 1.5 km at 0.5 km from Papiu Forest, on a
homonymous hill, at 380-515 m altitude, on a north-east oriented slope.
The plant composition of the two forests is similar to that of Papiu Forest and the
proximity between them has made some Fallow Deer individuals settle there. So in 1980,
Papiu Forest numbered one specimen/1.2 hectares. By the end of the 1980’s numerous
Quercus, Robinia or other species had been gnowed by these animals.
In 1988, the Forest Administration set the optimum figure of the species effectives
to 145, a figure that was later to be exceeded.
In spring 1988, the three forests hosted 165 individuals (80 males and 85 females).
In March next year there were 25 more.
The highest number of Fallow Deer in this geographical region (90 males and 100
females) was recorded in 1989, with 190 specimens/251 forest hectares, at a density of 75
individuals /100 forest hectares.
In 1988-1989, few specimens migrated northwards towards Grebeniş and Zau de
Câmpie, but they used to come back to the three forests.
In a lapse of 14 years the Fallow Deer population, registered nearly a seven-time
increase in the effective due not only to propitious environmental conditions, but also to the
fact that, throughout that period, only two males were hunted and no specimen was
captured to be colonised elsewhere.
In order to increase the value of the region’s specimens, a proposal made to the
former Mureş Forestry Inspectorate had in view to hunt selectively 15 individuals/year (5
males and 10 females).
After 1990, the Papiu Forest Fallow Deer population kept decreasing steadily ,
with no stable populations being found in the Bărboşi and Bârza forests.
In 2001 there were 75 specimens and only 50 in 2002. The optimum effective (set
in 2003) was of 23 individuals, 40 in 2003 and 25 (10 males and 15 females) stabilised in
2005 and 2006 each. Usually, the species sex ratio in the region was a normal one, basically
1/1. However, over the past few years, the ratio was unbalanced by the preferential elimination
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