Population parameters of fallow deer at Doñana National Park (SW Spain)

Abstract

. 1990. Population parameters of fallow deer at Doñana National Park (SW Spain). Acta theriol. 35: 277-288.In order to know the reproductive and social status of fallow deer Dama dama (Linnaeus, 1758) populations at Doñana National Park and analyze the influence of climatic factors and population density on the reproductive performance of females and males, periodic counts were conducted from September 1982 to September 1988. The size of the study population increased in the period 1982-1983 and remained relatively stable from 1983 to 1988 (mean = 267.79 + 11.26). The mean group size of the female groups was the largest (8.67+ 1.44); mixed groups showed a mean size of 8.09 (± 1.05), the mean group size of the male ones being the smallest (5.21 ±0.9). The results indicate that density as well as temperature during the last month of gestation have repercussions on the reproductive performance of the females. No sexual differences have been detected in juvenile mortality during the first year of life.

Variation of male‐biased maternal investment in fallow deer (Dama dama)

“…This ecotone area of the Biological Reserve (166.5 km, included in the National Park) was selected as the study area. The fallow deer population living in that area ranged from 103 to 373 individuals between 1981 and 1996 (summer census data; see Braza, San Jose Â, Blom, Cases et al, 1990 for method).…”

“…In this area, environmental stress seems to play a more important role in the variation of fallow deer mating strategies than social stress (San Jose  & Braza, 1997). Furthermore, some results concerning the fallow deer fawning season at Don Ä ana revealed that population density and environmental conditions during the last month of gestation had repercussions on the reproductive performance of females (Braza, San Jose Â, Blom, Cases et al, 1990).…”

Damherten in de Manteling van Walcheren en de kop van Schouwen : beheer van damhertpopulaties in relatie tot beheerdoelstellingen en welzijnsaspecten

“…In afwezigheid van predatoren zijn het vooral deze specifieke weersomstandigheden die een sterke reductie van de populatieomvang kunnen bewerkstelligen. In mediterrane gebieden is dit droogte (Braza et al, 1990). In onze gematigde Atlantische klimaatzone treden slechts incidenteel lange droge zomers of strenge winters op.…”

“…Bij voedselgebrek of extreme weercondities neemt deze ratio af, net als het geboortegewicht van de kalfjes. Vooral als de klimaatcondities tijdens de zwangerschap slecht zijn, heeft dit een negatieve uitwerking op de overlevingskans van kalfjes en daarmee op de populatieaanwas (Braza et al, 1990).…”

Evaluation of Genetic Variability in Introduced Populations of Red Deer (Cervus Elaphus) Using DNA Fingerprinting

“…In Spain its distribution has narrowed drastically in the first half of the 20th century. Native populations of the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula became extinct due to large-scale hunting, and were later reintroduced in virtually all their historical range (BRAZA et al 1989).…”