Comparative analysis of body weight and condition in two brown hare populations

The condition of the populations are useful parameters for the reasonable game management. In this study the physical condition of Brown hare stocks (Lepus europaeus, Pallas 1785) was analyzed, measured body weight (BW) and determined kidney fat index (KFI). These methods were applied during our survey in the hunting period of 2014/15 and 2015/16. In total 272 (123 male and 149 female) samples were collected from two hunting areas in Great Plain (from County Békés and Jász-Nagykun Szolnok). The aim of our work was to collect data concerning the conditions of the populations. All hares was sexed and classified in 2 age groups (young <1years), and (old> 1years). The age was established by Stroh-mark in the hunting field and by dried eye lenses in the laboratory. BW and the weight of the kidney and perirenal fat was measured and the data were statistically analysed (group statistics, Levene’s test for Equality of Variances and, t-tests for Equality of Means). As a result of our examination the range of KFI was 1.25-5.14. The weight of perirenal fat was between 2-34gramm.KFI was greater in females than males. The average BW of the hares in every age groups were less than it is according to literature dates, however the conditions of the hares were good and in very good in both hunting areas. The BW and the amount of the perirenal fat in adult female hares were the greatest

Autumn and winter kidney fat indexes of roe deer does and their correlation with reproductive parameters

I studied the variations of kidney fat indexes (KFI) in two game management units of the Great Hungarian Plain between 2002 and 2004 in the autumn and winter months. I was looking for correlation between the autumn and winter KFI as well as between the autumn KFI and reproductive parameters (number of corpora lutea, recruitment rate). There was a significant positive correlation between the average winter and the average next autumn KFI (r=0.991, p<0.1). The average winter KFI showed strong positive correlation with the average number of corpora lutea (CL) in the next rutting season (r=0.978, p<0.05). The average autumn KFI and the average grown up offspring showed positive but not significant correlation (r=0.725, p=0.275)

Examination of feeding and some population parameters of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, L.) on the Great Hungarian Plain

It is known that roe deer are concedered to be very choosy. It needs this sorting because the microorganisms, which help the digestion of high fibre plants, are missing in its stomack, that is why they are mostly called „concentrate selectors” (HOFFMANN,1985; 1988; 1989). These animals should mostly eat easily digestable plants with high nutrition level (pulses, buds, sprouts and flowers). Consequently they are able to do this sorting because of their small mouth size. At winter there is a lack of these plants, so the high selectivity occurs only when the feed is in abundance. Examining the amount and quality of vegetation available on the habitat of roe deer we can identify the species which can satisfy their feed demand. It is known, that roe deer as other large ruminants, in case of plant abundance prefer certain plants and plant parts while others avoided. The identification of the eaten species and the rate of their occurrence in the feed is the first step to become acquainted with the interaction between animal and the surroundings simultaneously

Examination of age distribution, time of birth and survival in a brown hare population

Our research goal was to examine the (1) age distribution, the (2) date of birth and the (3) survival rate of a brown hare population. Data were collected between 2014 and 2016 in an agricultural region of Hungary. We examined altogether 346 shot animals from the hunting bag. (1) There was no statistical difference between the years 2014 and 2015 when examining the homogeny of the age distribution of the whole autumn population. At the same time, age distributions between 2015-2016 and 2014-2016 can be considered to be different. The age distribution by under one year old individuals in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 were different, but it can be considered homogeneous between 2014 and 2016. (2) Most of the young hares were born between March and July in all three consecutive years, in detail: III-IV. 22%, IV-VI. 27% and VI-VII. 16% (altogether 65%) of the whole offspring. (3) The survival rate (lx) of the whole population was 0,55 in T1 period, and 0,45 in T2 by under 1 year olds, while in the group of 1-2 years old or older, it was 0,79 in T1 and 0,81 in T2. Examining the survival rate of the two age groups, no significant difference can be seen during the examined periods. Examined by age groups and sex, the survival rate was 0,62 under 1 year old males in T1 period, while it was 0,37 in T2; furthermore by the age group of 1-2 years old and older the survival rate was 0,74 in T1, and 0,64 in T2. The survival among males were homogeneous in the two years. The survival of females by under 1 year olds was 0,49 in T1, while 0,54 in T2. By the age group of 1-2 years old and older, the survival rate was 0,81 in T1, and 0,91 in T2. The survival of females between the two years is homogeneous