Proposed strategic management of fallow deer to conserve endemic red deer in the Mesola forest, Ferrara, Italy

Abstract

The Mesola Forest (1,058 ha), located in the Ferrara province in the north of Italy, is completely enclosed and is home to a small group of endemic red deer (Cervus elaphus) that used to be widespread across all of North Italy. The Forest also contains a large population of fallow deer (Dama dama) reintroduced in the 1950s-1960s. Since 1982, the fallow deer have been managed by shooting however the population has continued to increase. Therefore shooting of the fallow deer is not only ineffective but is also unpopular and may cause stress in both red deer and fallow deer. The Modena Veterinary Service and the Antivivisection League suggested adoption of a fertility control programme based on the use of an immunocontraceptive vaccine (GonaConTM) registered in the USA for white-tailed deer. The use of the vaccine could help to reduce the fertility of the fallow deer population and lead to an increase in the red deer population which is currently too small to be safe from extinction. The fertility control program for the fallow deer population is proposed as part of a strategy to maintain the biodiversity of the Mesola Forest.

Keywords

• Dama dama
• fallow deer
• fertility control
• GonaConTM
• immunocontraception
• killing
• multiyear contraception
• shooting