In Europe, roe deer Capreolus capreolus is one of the biggest mammal spe cies killed in traffic, and the number of accidents seems to increase. The pur pose of our paper is to point out the most important factors causing traffic k illin g s and to suggest conservation measures that may reduce the number of roe deer killings in traffic. Our study is based on data including 115 roe deer killed in traffic at the K al& oslash; estate in East Jutland, Denmark, during 1956Denmark, during -1985 No sig nificant correlation was found between the number of traffic killings of roe deer and mean daily traffic, but the number of roe deer killed in traffic varied sig nificantly over the seasons. The distribution pattern of roe deer/car collision sites was clumped. The risk of being killed in traffic was highest for young and old roe deer. Significantly more adult females, adult males and subadult males than expected were killed in traffic, and significantly more individuals were killed in years when most of the fields next to the roads were left unsown in winter. We suggest that the following measures be taken to prevent traffic killings: increasing areas with winter cereal or wintergreen fields, clearing the vegeta tion adjacent to roads and reducing car speed in high-risk areas.

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Habitat factors and the presence or absence of ottersLutra lutra in Denmark. Acta Theriologica 46: 171-179.The purpose of the present study was to examine the relative influence of different habitat factors on otters Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758) and to develop a predictive model to better understand the distribution of the otter in Denmark. During the National Otter Survey in 1991 data were collected on 19 variables which reflected aspects of habitat structure, composition, organic pollution and human disturbance. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate probabilities of the presence of otters as a function of one or more explanatory variables. Six variables (county, pH, water depth, presence of trees, bottom substrate and Saprobien-Index) were identified. In Denmark, otter habitat typically consists of water courses with depths > 1 m over a varied bottom, with pH > 7.0, Saprobien-Index on II-III to III (indicating slight organic pollution) with no trees on the banks. Some of these variables reflect highly productive waters. The use of the otter as an indicator of good water quality and/or aquatic habitat should be used with care.