Dispersion, diet and criteria of age of roe deer (capreolus capreolus L.) in Hamsterley forest, county Durham

Abstract

The study concerned distribution, habitat use, diet and the age of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from Hamsterley Forest, Co. Durham. Observation and counts of pellet groups indicated that the most used habitats were rides and clearings. Within each habitat the distribution of pellet groups were random, and in general not correlated with indices of plant type and cover density. Over the study area as a whole, the distribution of pellet groups was clumped, and generally correlated with these indices. The mean territory size of territorial bucks was 11.2 ha, the same as mean home range size of non-territorial bucks. Mean home range size of does was 8.0 ha. In 1973 and 16.5 ha. In 1974. The diet was studied by rumen contents and faecal analysis and a comparison of the dried weights of vegetation clipped from inside and outside enclosures. The first two methods indicated that dwarf shrubs were the most used plant group with Calluna the most important food. The third of these methods suggested that grazing pressure was light and at the sampling intensity used was unreliable for indicating diet. Faecal analysis indicated that in winter sheep (Ovis Aries) ate significantly more grasses and grass like plants and less browse than the deer. The eruption and wear method of estimating age was generally accurate to within one year, given knowledge of the life span of the deer. The cementum layer method appeared to be completely reliable; layering was of greater clarity in histological than in gross sections of cementum. The dry weight of the eye lens increased rapidly up to 12 months of age and then slowly up to five years. Body weight increased up to about 18 months of age but not subsequently.