ANALYSIS OF THE POPULATION DYNAMICS AND CAUSES OF DEER (CERVIDAE) EXTINCTION IN THE CONDITIONS OF SEMI-FREE KEEPING IN THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE "ASKANIA NOVA"

Abstract

The article presents information on the dy-namics of the number of red deer (RD), sika deer (SD), European fallow deer (EF), which are bred in the Biosphere Reserve "Askania Nova" during 2013–2022. The results of the analysis of the main reasons for the loss of animals from the herds of the studied species are presented. The proportion of detected injured animals (among culled and dead animals) on average over a 10-year period is: for RD – 41,8, for SD – 47,1, for EF – 44,8%. The proportion of animals found in the form of remains is 40,0, 44,7, 42,5%, respectively. The proportion of animals with signs of the disease is as follows: for RD – 18,2, for SD – 8,2, for EF – 12,6%. The proportion of males and females among the cases of animal injuries is as follows: for RD ♂ – 65,2, ♀ – 34,8%, for SD – 56,4 and 43,6%, for EF – 65,9 and 34,1%, respectively. The death rate of females in the period from May to July is the highest and can reach more than half of the females that died dur-ing the year. The phenomenon of traumatic shock was recorded, as a result of which, in certain years, 57–100% of sika deer and 25–50% of European fallow deer died during sorting and driv-ing for sale, out of the annual number of dead and culled adults. Half of the males of deer die during the rutting season; in the cold season, the proportion of dead males is 33,3 (RD), 31,3 (SD) and 45,4% (EF). Most of the young deer die during the period of mass calving in the herd – 71,4, 79,5 and 60,0%, respectively. A conclusion has been made about the proportion of animals planned for sale during the year.