Siberian Roe Deer - Capreolus pyragus

Currently three subspecies are recognised:

• Capreolus pygargus pygargus (main part of the distribution area),

• Capreolus pygargus tianschanicus (southern part of the range in China.

• Capreolus pygargus bedfordi (eastern part of the range).

The Siberian Roe Deer was once considered as the same species as the European roe deer, but it is now considered to be separate. It has larger antlers with more branches than those of European roe deer.

The Siberian Roe Deer is a middle sized deer, with a body length of 120-156 cm of males and females 116-150 cm. They weigh between 30-60 kg under the males and females weigh 28-55 kg. Siberian Roe Deer have a winter coat varying from grayish to brownish on their back, and creamy at the belly and inside of their legs. The have a white or cream colored rump patch. During summer their coat changes into a reddish color at head and body. Fawns develop distinct spots arranged in four or five rows.

Male Roe Deer develops its antlers to 40 cm long, they are pockmarked with bumps, some of which transform to protuberances and tines.

Source: Wikipedia

Habitat and behaviour

The species inhabits different types of deciduous and mixed forests and forest-steppes, where it tends to exploit areas with an abundance of grass cover on which it grazes. In general terms it is most common in the forest-steppe belt of central Russia, where it reaches high population densities of up to 12 individuals per 100 ha in tall grass meadows and floodplains.

It is shy, and most active at night, and often uses salt-licks. In mountains it is found up to 3,300 m asl.

Reproduction and Groupstructure

Siberian Roe Deer makes seasonal movements. It is solitary in summer when the females stay with their young, but in winter forms mixed groups up to 20-30 individuals. During seasonal movements, group size increases up to 500 individuals. In the province of Amur of the Russian Federation, the species migrates every year from winter to summer grounds, for up to 200 km, always following the same routes.

During heat males are territorial. It is polygamous, but does not form harems. Mating occurs from mid-July to mid-September. Young are born in May-June when the females give birth to one or two calves (rarely up to four). Gestation is six to ten months, usually with a lag phase. Maturity is reached by 13 months, and adults live 10-12 years.

Predated by Wolves and Lynx.

World population

Although it is generally considered to be common, it is in decline in many places because of over-hunting.

Estimates on the total world population are to be "about 1,000,000" individuals, though this represents a considerable decline, as during the nineteenh century, 500,000 were killed annually in Russia. Nevertheless, in the 1990's, healthy populations appeared to be common in China and Russia. Other estimates speak of the total population living in China at the time in "about 500,000" individuals.

Russia

Population density in Russia depends on vegetation type. It is most abundant in light oak and cedar forests, and is not found in fir forests. In the Sikhote-Alin State Reserve, population density varies from 0,2 to 1,3 individuals per km².

Amur region

The species has almost certainly declined since then due to hunting. For example, in the Amur region of Russia, the population was estimated to be 134,870 individuals in 1991, but it has been in continuous decline since then due to unauthorized hunting and fires.

Korean Peninsula

The situation could be more even more critical in the Korean Peninsula where trapping, overhunting and the opening of new land to logging operations may be having a negative effect on the species.

Mongolia

In 1985, the population size throughout Mongolia was estimated as between 70,000 and 89,000, though in the same year density estimates of 4-5 individuals over 1,000 ha were made in Khovsgol, with a total population estimate for this region of 250,000 animals. Over the last 10 years, however, the species has largely disappeared from the Bogd Uul mountain region, with only possible sightings in 2004. In the most recent population estimate conducted was in the Nomrog Special Protected Area, where 298 were found.

Kazakhstan

No data seem to be currently available on the status of this species in Kazakhstan.

• Lena Delta
• Orel-Bryansk

No clear information has been found. Please feel free to help us complete this chapter.

The Siberian roe deer has a very wide distribution in the Palaearctic.

It is widely distributed in continental Asia and parts of Eastern Europe, from the Khoper and Don River bend to the Ural Mountains and across southern Siberia.

It is found through northern Mongolia (including Navchvandan Mountain in south-eastern parts of Eastern Mongolia, Hangai Mountain Range, Darkhad in Hövsgöl Mountain Range, Hentii Mountain Range, Ikh Hyangan Mountain Range and north-eastern Mongol Altai Mountain Range) west to the coastlines of the sea of Japan, and the Yellow Sea, including the Korean Peninsula.

Its geographic range branches out towards the south at the West Siberian Plain down to Lake Balkhash, and from there expanding back to the east well into Kazakhstan without reaching the Aral Sea.

Also, it occurs from Manchuria into northern and central China, to the western half of the left margin of the Yang Tze river, into the eastern Tibetan Region.

Records from further south as far as northeastern Myanmar require confirmation.

It formerly extended as far west and eastern Ukraine, and there is still an isolated population on the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains.

It also occurs on Cheju Island in South Korea. It has been recorded at altitudes from sea-level up to 3,300 m asl.

Illegal hunting

Illegal hunting for meat and antlers, largely for local use, has eradicated this species from many areas of Russia. In the past, the implementation of proactive law enforcement and successful re-introduction programmes corrected this.

Poaching

Recent data suggest that poaching is again on the rise in Russia and Kazakhstan, though there is currently only limited information on it effects on the populations of Capreolus pygargus. It is of articular concern in relation to the isolated population in the CIS-Caucasus.
Poaching is also known to be a serious problem in China.

Deforestation and poaching

The status of the species on the Korean Peninsula is also problematic, as deforestation and poaching seem to be depleting numbers in many areas.

Habitat degradation

Although not presently a threat through much of its Russian range, habitat degradation through grazing by increasing numbers of livestock and human disturbance, associated with resource extraction, could constitute a potential future threat.
At a smaller scale, in the Amur Region several populations were lost by the formation of the Zeya and Burey reservoirs.

Natural threats

Severe winter weather and natural predation are liable to have at times a strong impact on the survival or presence of some populations in certain regions, though this is not a major concern for the species overall.

Russian Federation

Russia has an extensive network of protected areas in the form of National Natural Parks, Special Purpose Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Nature Monuments and the Siberian roe deer is an abundant species in many of them.

Trophy and commercial hunting are allowed in some of these areas under a license system; the allocation of harvesting quotas is based on periodic estimates of the population size of each species. Under this system 27,300 specimens were legally harvested within the whole Russian territory, during the 1996-7 hunting season. However, the amount of illegal hunting beyond this is not known, but could be much larger. More effective management of hunting is needed. The majority of the majority of the isolated Cis-caucasian population inhabits protected areas.

China

A similar hunting management system exists in China; it has been reported that several thousand roe deer are commercially harvested in Heilongjiang Province every year.

Mongolia

Mongolia has a similar network of protected areas compared to Russia, covering 20,6 millions of hectareas, or more than 13% of the Mongolian territory. Roe deer is present in many of them. In Mongolia, hunting is permitted between September 1st and December 1st. Trophy hunters can purchase hunting licenses, from which $550 USD is allocated to the government. Enforcement of wildlife protection laws, inside and outside protected areas, is nonetheless deficient.

South Korea

In South Korea, this species is only abundant in strictly protected areas like Cheju Island. Roe deer is classed as a game species under the current hunting laws, and licensed hunters are allowed to bag a maximum of three individuals per hunting season. The long term effects that the Wildlife Protection Act (in effect from February 2005) will have on the conservation status of this species needs to be monitored.

In summary, the main conservation measures needed involve:
1 Effective enforcement of hunting regulations.
2 Maintanance of suitable habitats, especially in riparian areas.

• Legal aspects of (Re-)introduction of large herbivores

• Large herbivores on the move
• Status report 2007 of the large herbivores of the palaeartic