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The gastro-intestinal helminths of wild ruminants in Britain: I. Roe deer, Capreolus capreolus capreolus
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 June 2015
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The specific composition of the parasitic helminth fauna of wild ruminants in Britain has not been examined for 30 years, and the series of surveys to be described were undertaken to provide data on this aspect of helminth epidemiology. With the increase in interest in conservation of wild stock, and especially ruminants, in recent years, information on the epidemiology of their helminth infections is an essential adjunct to any schemes for their protection and husbandry.
The common roe deer, Capreolus capreolus capreolus, is distributed throughout Europe and Asia, the other subspecies, G. c. pygargus, the Siberian roe, G. c. bedfordi, the Manchurian roe, and C. c. melanotis, the Szechwan roe, being limited in range. It is indigenous to Britain, and over the centuries its populations have undergone great numerical fluctuations. Though at one time nearly extinct in England except in the counties on the Scottish marches it appears at present to be in a period of resurgence, and the range is extending from dense foci in the south and south-east to join the northern population. It has always been numerous in mainland Scotland and a few of the Western Isles, but is extinct in Wales and Ireland (Whitehead, 1964). The roe is the smallest of our indigenous deer and differs from the others in its breeding habits, not forming herds, but grouping as family units of buck, doe and offspring. On the mainland of Europe, however, herding does take place, and a limited migration has even been observed in Russian roe (Flerov, 1952). Its habitat is essentially woodland, but it grazes open areas to some extent and, not-withstanding its timid character, lives in close proximity to man in agricultural and even in urban areas.
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- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1965
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