Dispersal of wolves and lynx and their perceived effects on roe deer in the hunting grounds of Lower Saxony, Northern Germany

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1 Dispersal of wolves and lynx and their perceived effects on roe deer in the hunting grounds of Lower Saxony, Northern Germany Egbert Strauß, Reinhild Gräber, Katrin Ronnenberg Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation Hunting Association of Lower Saxony supported by funds of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection

2 Wolf natural recolonisation 2017: 12 packs, 3 pairs, 2 residential singles = approx. 140 individuals 2015 : 6 packs, 2 pairs, 2 residential singles 2011: first wolf pack in Lower Saxony Wolf monitoring: Hunting Association of Lower Saxony by SCALP-criteria

3 Lynx reintroduction and recolonisation estimated abundance of lynx in the Harz mountains & lynx in the surrounding natural dispersal in the surroundings (Lower Saxony: Weser - Mountains, Saxony-Anhalt, Hesse, Thuringia) Source: Reports of Anders and Middelhoff 2015, 2016 & 2017 see: reintroduction of 24 individuals in the Harz Mountains

4 Return of Wolf and Lynx critical opinions of hunters due to the presence of wolf and lynx, roe and red deer: behave more shyly and hide more remains in the forest (for a longer time) resulting greater browsing/peeling damage form larger herds => impedes hunting

5 Human dimension objectives evaluate and document hunters opinions of their observed and perceived effects of wolf or lynx on deer comparison of roe deer hunting bag in hunting grounds with presence or absence of wolf / lynx improve acceptance for large carnivores by providing solid information

6 Wildlife survey data annual questionnaire on several game species ~ 9,200 private hunting grounds and 150 state forest districts are questioned annually about: occurrence abundance diseases hunting management hunting bag opinion piclease Brillen piclease Ott piclease Brillen piclease Kaminski piclease Lettow piclease Ott participation : % = 7,600 8,500 hunting grounds managed by: Hunting Association of Lower Saxony scientific research: Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research piclease Müller piclease Gailberger

7 Wildlife survey data query and requested data wolf / lynx Do you have any evidence of wolf or lynx presence in your hunting district?» no; yes, sporadic; yes, regular; no information

8 Wildlife survey data query and requested data roe and red deer Hunting bag for each hunting ground Opinion of the hunters (landlords or tenants of the hunting grounds) about the effects on roe and red deer: How do I agree with the following statement? In my hunting district I observe less roe deer!... I observe more large red deer herds! Possible answers: not at all; less; partial; a lot; complete; no information

9 Study region Lower Saxony Lüneburg Heath (LH) 1700 hunting grounds forest: app. 33% large military training areas intensive agriculture Wolf, Roe deer, Red deer Weser Mountains & Harz Mountains (W & H) 980 hunting grounds forest: app. 33% intensive agriculture low mountain range ( m ASL) Lynx, Roe deer, (Red deer)

10 Results: Wolf and Lynx occurrance of wolf/lynx in the two regions

11 Results Human Dimension wolf occurrence and roe deer sightings no differences in the years ; 2014; 2015

12 Results Human Dimension short presentation of the results from questionary 2016 How do I agree with the following statement? In my hunting ground. I observe less roe deer. Region absence wolf presence wolf n hunting grounds total Lüneburg Heath (Wolf) 12 % 44 % 1685 lynx lynx Weser & Harz Mountains (Lynx) 12 % 42 % 969 In my hunting ground... I observe more large red deer herds. Region absence wolf presence wolf n hunting grounds total Lüneburg Heath (Wolf) 6 % 29 % 628

13 Results Predators & Hunting bag hunting index roe deer & occurrence of - wolf in Lüneburg Heath - lynx in Weser- Harz mountains example on roe deer hunting bag (Lüneburg Heath) only private hunting grounds (n = 1594) Linear mixed-effects model (R CRAN): Roe deer & wolf lme(log1p(hi_reh)~factor(jahr)*factor(vk_wolf) +Wald_proz,random=~1 REVN,data=wolf,na.action = na.omit) decrease in all private hunting grounds significant high forest share significant no differences with or without wolf - 52% Roe deer & lynx: lme(log1p(hi_reh)~ factor(jahr)* factor(vk_luchs) +Wald_proz,random=~1 REVN,data=luchs,na.action = na.omit) - 57% decrease in all private hunting grounds not significant high forest share significant no differences with or without lynx

14 Summary facts regular or sporadic wolf occurrence in 40 to 70 % of the private hunting grounds and in 40 to 50 % of lynx occurrence 44 % of the hunting grounds with wolf and 42 % with lynx observed less roe deer respectively decline in roe deer hunting bag > 50% in the region Lüneburg Heath (wolf) and in Weser-Harz Mountains (lynx) from but, decline in roe deer hunting bag independent in hunting grounds of wolf / lynx presence or absence

15 Summary open questions behavioral effects on roe and red deer are caused by wolf or lynx? predator avoidance behavior in deer realistic? (landscape of fear!) decline in hunting bag caused by large predators? actual hunting effort of hunters? conclusion opinions of the hunters have to be taken seriously wrong impressions about effects on deer must be disproved and hunters must be enlightened by scientific knowledge more acceptance towards wolf and lynx

16 Thank you for your attention