European Roe Deer

Track index (tracks/10 km/24 hours) of the European roe deer in 50 km x 50 km squares in the winter of 2008. Significant changes between 2007 and 2008 are presented in smaller maps.

European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are few in number in triangle censuses, and chance as well as snow conditions can have a strong influence on the results. Because of this, the differences in track densities between years are bigger than true differences in populations. However, triangle censusing gives important information on population trends. Compared with 2007, the track density of this species increased by 40 per cent. Certainly the European roe deer population (now estimated at 300) has increased more than any other of the species that were censused in 2008, although increase percentages cannot be calculated because in the first censusing years, barely any tracks were observed. The population seems to have strengthened in dispersion areas, but declined in the area of highest density, southwestern Finland. With these results, it is important to keep in mind the random fluctuations in the index.

Track index of European roe deer (tracks/10 km/24 h) in the game districts of Satakunta, Uusimaa and southwestern Finland in 1989-2008.

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