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Natura Croatica : Periodicum Musei Historiae Naturalis Croatici, Vol. 17 No. 4, 2008.

Original scientific paper

Temporal changes in the status of the European hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) population of Međimurje, Croatia

Nina Popović ; Department of Gamekeeping and Environmental Protection, Polytechnic of Karlovac, Trg J. J. Strossmayera 9, 47000 Karlovac, Croatia
Krunoslav Pintur ; Department of Gamekeeping and Environmental Protection, Polytechnic of Karlovac, Trg J. J. Strossmayera 9, 47000 Karlovac, Croatia
Antun Alegro ; Department of Gamekeeping and Environmental Protection, Polytechnic of Karlovac, Trg J. J. Strossmayera 9, 47000 Karlovac, Croatia
Alen Slavica ; Department for Game Biology, Pathology and Breeding, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Mladen Lacković ; Hunting Association of Međimurje County, Gajeva 35, 40000 Čakovec, Croatia
Dražen Sertić ; Hrvatske šume Ltd., Put Davorina Trstenjaka 1, 47000 Karlovac, Croatia

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Abstract

A total of 383 European hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) were sampled from three separate hunting grounds within the Međimurje region from 2004 to 2006 including, Čakovec, Hodošan and Mala Subotica. Based on the eye lens mass the age structure of hares was determined. Reproductive effort per capita varied from 0.62 to 1.54 leverets per hare with female reproductive effort varying from 0.62 to 3.40 leverets per female. On average 46.7% of the hunting bag consisted of yearlings. The sex ratio varied between years from 0.39 to 0.69 females:males. Weight varied significantly between juveniles and adults regardless of sex (p<0.05) and ranged from 3.64 to 4.17 kg. Spring densities varied from 15-23 hares/km2 between hunting grounds. Analysis of data from the management plans of Međimurje region over the last 38 years showed that game bag record decreased approximately 9-fold and the relative hare abundance declined by 56% from 1967 to 2005. According to management plans the area productive for hunting hares declined by 62% in that period and this is probably one of the main reasons for the current trend of population decline in Međimurje.

Keywords

age structure; population density; weight; reproductive statistics

Hrčak ID:

33971

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/33971

Publication date:

31.12.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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