Internationally, the impacts of deer have been widely studied, but little work has been conducted in Australia. Sambar (Cervus unicolor Kerr) were introduced to Victoria in the 1860s from Sri Lanka, and have become established throughout eastern Victoria. This study is located in the Yarra Ranges National Park, 100 km north east of Melbourne. The park primarily consists of three protected water catchments that contribute approximately 50% to Melbourne’s water supply. This study was conducted from 2005 to 2008 in the Upper Yarra and O’Shannassy catchments. Large open areas covered by forbs and grasses periodically form adjacent to the water body of the Upper Yarra reservoir. Sambar are frequently observed at the largest of these areas known as The Flats. The impacts of sambar at this locality and in other areas of the catchments were investigated. / Faecal pellet transect surveys determined that sambar occupancy and density was greatest on open flats, lower on forest edges adjacent to open flats (< 250 m), and significantly less in other forested areas of the catchment. Observations of The Flats revealed that hinds were the main demographic class represented, with a mean group size of 39 individuals, and up to 70. This is the largest aggregation of sambar ever reported anywhere in the world, and equates to an approximate density of 200 km-2 at this site. / Selective exclosures effectively differentiated the offtake of forage by sambar from that of native herbivores. Sambar contributed to the majority of offtake at The Flats, and were able to obtain a substantial proportion of their daily food requirements from this source. A culling program began in the Yarra Ranges National Park in May 2008, to reduce the large numbers of deer in the park. The cull reduced the time spent by sambar on The Flats, as determined by faecal pellet accumulation plots, and significantly reduced faecal pellet load and forage offtake. / Sambar significantly decreased relative foliage cover of shiny nematolepis (Nematolepis wilsonii), a threatened understorey tree, through their antler rubbing activities. Thrashing of shiny nematolepis saplings also significantly decreased relative foliage cover, with sambar selecting saplings with a larger stem diameter from those available. Rubbed trees and thrashed saplings experienced damage to, on average, over half the stem circumference. / Selective exclosures allowed differentiation of sambar and native herbivore browsing on forest understoreys. Browsing by sambar in high densities prevented the vertical growth of plants in the understorey, with branches above 60 cm in height most commonly browsed. Plants in the understorey were more frequently and intensely browsed in areas of high sambar density. Three species were browsed to a significantly greater extent by sambar than native herbivores: hazel pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera), prickly tea-tree (Leptospermum continentale) and prickly bush-pea, (Pultenaea juniperina). Sambar significantly reduced plant biomass in forest understoreys where they occur in high densities. / The presence of large, open herb-rich areas drives the high local densities and associated impacts of sambar within the Yarra Ranges National Park. Future areas of research are identified and management recommendations are outlined. A sustained culling program appears to be the only practical option to reduce sambar density and impacts at this locality.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Sydney, 2004. / A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney, College of Science, Technology and Environment, School of Science, Food and Horticulture, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliographies.

Lietuvoje danielius parkuose pradėta laikyti nuo XVII – XIX a. Po antrojo pasaulinio karo manoma buvo išnykę. 1976-1977 m. Iki 1988 metu Lietuvoje buvo įrengti 9 aptvarai kuriuose buvo veisiami danieliai ir iš kurių kilo laisvėje Lietuvoje gyvenantys danieliai. Lietuvoje per paskutinius dešimt metų laikotarpį danielių pagausėjo. oficialiais apskaitos duomenimis 1997 metais vienuolikoje rajonų danielių buvo 470, 2008 m. duomenimis dvylikoje rajonų buvo suskaičiuoti 720 danieliai. 1997 m. 5 aptvaruose buvo laikoma 81 danieliai. Aptvarų skaičius per 10 metų smarkiai išaugo. 2007 m. užregistruoti 32 aptvarai kuriuose laikomų danielių skaičius sudarė 1019 individai. Laisvėje esančių danielių populiacija Anykščių rajone didėjo nuo 1993 m. (14 individų) iki 2008 m. (80 individų). Nuo 2007 metų fiksuojami jau ir Utenos (10 danielių) rajone. Danielių padėtis elninių žvėrių gildijoje Anykščių rajone 2005 – 2007 metais sudarė 23,4%; stirnų 74,2%; tauriųjų elnių 2,2%; briedžių 0.1%. Danielių bandos struktūrą sudaro: 24,4% patinai, 54,7% patelės, 21% jaunikliai. Labai svarbus danieliams yra papildomas šėrimas. Beveik pusė (46%) danielių pėdsakų transektose randami 100 metrų atstumu nuo šėryklos, o tolstant mažėja: 500 metrų atstumu – 29%, 1000 metrų atstumu – 25%. Tuo tarpų stirnoms šėrimo įtaka yra mažiau juntama. / In Lithuania, fallow-deer appeared in parks at the 17-19 c. Supposedly they disappeared after the Second World War. In 1976-1977 up to 1988, 9 warrens were set up where fallow-deer were bred which gave start for fallow deer living in freedom in Lithuania. Under the last ten years in Lithuania, fallow deer increased in number. According to official data, in 1997, in eleven districts fallow deer amounted to 470, while in 2008, they amounted to 720 in twelve districts. In 1997, there were 81 fallow deer in 5 warrens. In 10 years the warrens increased intensely in number. In 2007, 32 warrens were registered, where the fallow deer amounted to 1019. The population of fallow deer living in freedom in Anykščiai district has been increasing since 1993 (14 fallow deer) to 2008 (80 fallow deer). Since 2007, they have been registered even in Utena district (10 fallow deer). The amount of fallow deer among cervine animals in Anykščiai district in 2005-2007 made up 23,4%; roes - 74,2%; red deer 2,2%; moose 0.1%. The structure of fallow deer‘s bevy is as follows: 24,4% bucks, 54,7% does, 21% calves. Additional feeding is very important to fallow deer. Almost half (46%) of fallow deer‘s traces in trans-sects are found at the distance of 100 m from feeding place, and the amount is decreasing at the larger distance: at the distance of 500 m – 29%, at the distance of 1000 m – 25%. The impact of feeding on roes is minimal.

This study conducted baseline research to determine home range, movements and habitat selection of Manitoban elk (Cervus elaphus manitobensis) in the Duck Mountain (DM) of west-central Manitoba. Cow elk (n =22) were captured by helicopter net-gun and GPS radio-collared in 2005/06. Data was analyzed with ArcView 3.3 for Windows (ESRI). DM elk show selection for deciduous forest and avoidance of roads. Mean 100% MCP home ranges were 127.85 km2 with 95% and 50% adaptive kernel home range sizes of 58.24 km2 and 7.29 km2, respectively. Home range overlap occurs at all times of the year with many elk using farmland. Elk moved the least in late winter. Movements increased in the spring, declined in June with a gradual increase from July to October. Elk had generalized movement in southerly directions. No cow elk dispersed from the study area. Mean estimated calving date was June 3rd and mean estimated breeding date was September 27th. DM elk were found in mature deciduous/mixed-wood forest and shrub/grassland/prairie savannah ecosites but not found within 200 m of a road or water feature more often than expected by random. Elk were found in areas with <10% and >81% crown closure, on middle slopes and variable aspects. Elk displaced from forestry cut-blocks. Only 149 of 79,284 elk locations were within 100 m of a winter cattle operation. Recommendations to mitigate forestry and BTB impacts focus on riparian areas, road management, farming practices and hunting.

I estimated survival, cause-specific mortality, and neonatal habitat use of elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) calves in eastern Kentucky. I also measured habitat characteristics of elk parturition sites and annual calf production . Radio-collared females were fitted with vaginal implant transmitters and monitored for parturition behavior to locate, capture, and radio-collar calves during the springs of 2001 and 2002. Thirty-seven adult females with implant transmitters were translocated from Logan, Utah, to Addington Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in eastern Kentucky. Additional females from previous releases during 1997 and 1998 were monitored for parturition behavior. Mean calf production for all females monitored (n=77) was 66.2%. Parturition sites (n=10) were typically in closed-canopy hardwood forest within 152 m of a forest/grassland interface. Female selected sites with more boulders, andlt; 20 slope, a higher percentage of woody saplings, and thicker vegetation between 1.0 2.25 m in height compared to random sites. Twenty-seven calves were radio-collared and intensively monitored by ground and aerial telemetry. Mean annual survival was 0.766 ( 0.103). Coyote (Canis latrans) predation, meningeal worm (Parelaphostongylus tenuis), and human-caused mortality may slow population growth. Retention of implant transmitters for 40 cows ranged from 1 to 276 days (61.6 3.0). Only 2 implant transmitters worked as designed and led to calf captures. I had better success (n=25) capturing calves by monitoring parturition behavior and searching areas where pregnant cows were suspected to have given birth.

This study conducted baseline research to determine home range, movements and habitat selection of Manitoban elk (Cervus elaphus manitobensis) in the Duck Mountain (DM) of west-central Manitoba. Cow elk (n =22) were captured by helicopter net-gun and GPS radio-collared in 2005/06. Data was analyzed with ArcView 3.3 for Windows (ESRI). DM elk show selection for deciduous forest and avoidance of roads. Mean 100% MCP home ranges were 127.85 km2 with 95% and 50% adaptive kernel home range sizes of 58.24 km2 and 7.29 km2, respectively. Home range overlap occurs at all times of the year with many elk using farmland. Elk moved the least in late winter. Movements increased in the spring, declined in June with a gradual increase from July to October. Elk had generalized movement in southerly directions. No cow elk dispersed from the study area. Mean estimated calving date was June 3rd and mean estimated breeding date was September 27th. DM elk were found in mature deciduous/mixed-wood forest and shrub/grassland/prairie savannah ecosites but not found within 200 m of a road or water feature more often than expected by random. Elk were found in areas with <10% and >81% crown closure, on middle slopes and variable aspects. Elk displaced from forestry cut-blocks. Only 149 of 79,284 elk locations were within 100 m of a winter cattle operation. Recommendations to mitigate forestry and BTB impacts focus on riparian areas, road management, farming practices and hunting.

Four trials were conducted to investigate factors controlling the seasonal onset of reproductive activity in red deer hinds. Firstly (Chapter 4), the role of photorefractoriness to long daily photoperiods in the initiation of the seasonal reproductive activity in breeding red deer hinds was examined. Red deer hinds (n=10) were prematurely exposed to a long daily photoperiod of 15.3 h from 22 July to 8 November 1986 i.e. winter-spring (EPW), or maintained under natural photoperiods (NP). Six hinds experienced the natural changes in daily photoperiod until mid-summer but were exposed to a 15.5 h of light each day from 30 January to 30 April 1987, i.e. summer-autumn (EPS), whilst hinds in the other groups experienced naturally decreasing daily photoperiods. On 5 occasions (July 1986, January, February, March and April 1987), blood samples were collected from 4 NP and 4 EPW hinds every 20 minutes for 4 h to monitor secretion of luteinising hormone and half hourly for another 4 h following an i.v. injection of 2 µg GnRH to measure pituitary responsiveness. In January, March and April 1987 EPS hinds were also intensively sampled for 4 h. Plasma progesterone concentrations and mean date of calving indicated that the onset of breeding activity was not affected by light treatment in the EPW hinds but was delayed by 3 weeks in the EPS hinds. In contrast, supplementary lighting caused a premature elevation of plasma prolactin concentrations and advanced pelage moulting in EPW hinds only. Plasma LH secretion patterns indicated that LH pulse frequency and mean LH concentrations were greater during the breeding season than during pregnancy or, seasonal or postpartum, anoestrus. The reduction in LH secretion was partially explained by a diminished pituitary responsiveness to GnRH. Daily plasma melatonin secretion patterns indicated that the duration of the nocturnal increase in melatonin concentrations was responsive to changes in photoperiod and provided a suitable endocrine signal for measuring day length. The results suggest that, unlike the sheep and prepubertal red deer hind, the onset of seasonal breeding activity in breeding red deer hinds is not affected by long daily photoperiods in spring but is delayed if the autumnal decrease in daily photoperiod is delayed. Therefore neither the development of photorefractoriness nor the spring increase in daily photoperiods initiated the transition from seasonal anoestrus to reproductive activity in the breeding hind. However, long daily photoperiods may have entrained the annual cycle of pelage shedding and prolactin secretion. It is possible that the neuroendocrine pathway by which photoperiodic signals entrain the seasonal cycle of reproduction is separate from those which regulate other seasonal events in the breeding red deer hind. Secondly (Chapter 5), in a study of seasonality of reproduction, 4 pubertal hinds were monitored for live weight and plasma LH and progesterone concentrations from December 1987 to October 1988 (i.e. 12-22 months of age). In addition the pattern of LH secretion was also studied in 4 ovariectomised pubertal hinds implanted s.c. with controlled release implants containing 12 mg oestradiol-17β between 4 March and 25 May and between 15 June and 19 September, 1988. On several occasions (15 December, 29 February, 15 March, 24 April, 14 June, 29 June, 18 September (all hinds) and 3 October (ovariectomised hinds only) blood samples were collected every 20 minutes for 4 h to monitor secretion of luteinising hormone and following an i.v. injection of 2 µg GnRH to measure pituitary responsiveness. Plasma progesterone profiles indicated that 4-6 ovarian cycles, lasting about 19 d each, occurred in each intact hind. Regular ovarian cycles commenced in late April (26 April ± 3.4 d, mean ± s.e.m.) and ceased 3 months later in July (21 July ± 7.2 d). The number of LH pulses in the intact hinds was higher in June (1-2 pulses/4 h) than in the non-breeding season (< 1 pulse/4 h) probably due to a seasonal increase in GnRH secretion. It appears that the seasonal increase in LH pulsatility and onset of reproductive activity in the entire hinds were temporally related to a reduction in the sensitivity of LH secretion to the negative feedback effects of oestradiol in ovariectomised pubertal hinds. In the third trial (Chapter 6), 20 male and 20 female red deer calves were immunised at birth against a melatonin conjugate or injected with adjuvant only (controls). Booster injections were given on 5 occasions over the next 2 years. Stags which produced significant melatonin binding activity in response to immunisation, were heavier than the controls between 7 and 11 months of age and at 16, 20, 30 and 34 months of age. A similar but smaller effect on live weight was seen in the immunised hinds. Immunisation against melatonin did not affect the calving date of the hinds or antler development and time of casting of antlers in the stags. These results indicated that disruption of the photoperiodic signal by immunisation against melatonin may have prevented the entrainment of annual rhythms in feed intake and growth but without affecting the seasonal cycles in antler growth and ovarian activity. Finally in a series of 3 trials (Chapter 7), anoestrous red deer hinds were induced to ovulate with the GnRH analogue, buserelin. Hinds were pre-treated with intravaginal devices containing 0.6 g progesterone (CIDR-Type S) for 14 days prior to CIDR withdrawal on 4 March. In Year 1, 15 hinds were treated with 1 CIDR each and 8 hinds were injected i.m. with 4 µg buserelin (a GnRH analogue) at CIDR removal followed by 2nd injection of 10 µg 48 h later. In Year 2, 16 hinds were treated with 2 CIDRs each and 8 hinds were injected Lm. with 4, 3, 2, 2 and 10 µg buserelin at -48, -24, 0, 24 and 48 h respectively from CIDR withdrawal. In Year 3, 15 hinds were treated with 2 CIDRs and 11 hinds (Groups Band BO) injected with buserelin identical to the protocol in Year 2. At CIDR withdrawal 6 of these buserelin treated hinds (Group BO) and 4 other progesterone-primed hinds (Group 0) were injected with 500 µg oestradiol benzoate. In addition, during the breeding season, 4 hinds (Group C) were treated with double CIDRs only for 14 d from 1 April. When oestrous behaviour and the pattern of plasma LH secretion were monitored in Year 3, oestrous behaviour was less noticeable and delayed in Group B hinds and peak LH levels were lower and increased later relative to Group 0, BO and C hinds. Two weeks after CIDR withdrawal, 6 buserelin-treated hinds in both Year 1 and Year 2, and 3/5 B, 2/4 0, 3/6 BO and 4/4 C group hinds in Year 3 had a single corpus luteum present. Plasma progesterone concentrations were elevated for about 12 d in most hinds with a corpus luteum in Year 2 and in most B, BO and C Group hinds in Year 3. However, progesterone secretion was low in several Year 1 and all Group 0 hinds in Year 3 indicating that the induced corpora lutea in these hinds were functionally subnormal. There was no evidence that any of the buserelin-induced ovulations resulted in pregnancy, probably because the induced ovulations were not accompanied by normal hormonal and behavioural patterns. The experiments described in this thesis have contributed to our understanding of the regulation of seasonal breeding in red deer hinds. This knowledge may eventually enable reproductive activity to be effectively manipulated, thereby improving the efficiency of deer production systems.

Elk (Cervus elaphus spp) are widely used as a terminal sire in the New Zealand deer industry because elk red deer crosses are heavier at 12 months of age than pure-bred red deer (Cervus elaphus) and therefore better fit market demands. However, it is unclear whether nutritional requirements differ between genotypes. A series of experiments compared young (4 - 12 months) red deer and red deer-elk cross (hybrids) in various aspects of their nutrition. Single genotype groups (10-15) of red deer and hybrid weaner stags were offered one of four pasture allowances (2 to 12 kg DM/head/day) on a rotationally grazed mixed ryegrass - white clover pasture system for 9 weeks in winter (June-July), spring (October-December) and summer (February - March). Stags were weighed and given a new allocation of pasture weekly. Pre-grazing pasture mass ranged from 800 kg DM/ha for low pasture allowances to 4500kg DM/ha for higher allowances. Winter live-weight gain was low (40-80 g/day), relatively unaffected by pasture allowance and similar for both genotypes. In spring however, hybrids gained live-weight on average 100 g/day more than red deer across all pasture allowances and the response to additional pasture allowance was large (110 g/day at 2kg DM/head/day to 300 g/day at 9.5 kg DM/head/day). At the highest pasture allowance, hybrids grew faster (350 g/day) than red deer (250 g/day), although red deer were able to achieve this live-weight gain when offered less pasture (4 vs 12 kg DM/head/day, respectively). Summer live-weight gain was lower for both genotypes and responded less to increases in pasture allowance than during spring. A second experiment compared the live-weight gain of both genotypes at ad lib feeding in an indoor environment where intake could be accurately measured. A group of red deer (n =15) and a group of hybrid (n =15) weaner stags were housed indoors during winter (3 June - 27 August) and spring (16 October - 16 December) and fed a pelleted grain based ration ad lib. Mean daily intake for each group (kg DM/head/day) was calculated as the difference between feed offered and feed refused. Hybrids had a significantly higher (P< 0.05) absolute DM intake compared with red deer in both seasons, although when expressed on a metabolic body weight basis, there was no difference between genotypes irrespective of season. Live-weight gain during winter did not differ significantly between genotypes regardless of whether it was expressed on an absolute or metabolic weight basis. Spring live-weight gain, expressed both on an absolute and metabolic live-weight basis, was significantly higher for hybrids compared with red deer (P<0.05). Red deer and hybrids increased their feed intake from winter to spring by 20% and 24% respectively on a metabolic body weight basis. Although the difference between genotypes in their seasonal increase in intake was relatively small there was a large difference in their pattern of live-weight gain. Red deer exhibited a 34% and hybrids a 76% seasonal increase in live-weight gain expressed on a metabolic live-weight basis from winter to spring. These results indicate the greater rate of live-weight gain displayed by hybrids compared with red deer was not associated with a greater ad lib intake (expressed on a metabolic body weight basis) and the seasonal increase in live-weight gain is greater for hybrids than for red deer. A further experiment estimated the energy requirement for maintenance of both genotypes. Five deer of each genotype were housed in separate pens (3.5m²) during winter (3 June - 27 August) and spring (16 October - 16 December) and randomly assigned to one of 5 feeding levels (0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, or 0.9 times estimated ad lib intake of l.5 and l.7 kg DM/head/day during the winter and 3.0 and 3.3 kg DM/head/day during the spring for red deer and hybrids, respectively. Maintenance requirement was determined by regression analysis of live-weight gain on ME intake. Although there was no seasonal effect on the live weight gain response to intake there was a significant genotype effect. To maintain live weight during either season, hybrids required a higher ME intake (0.52 MJ ME/W0.75/day compared with red deer 0.41 MJ ME/W0.75/day). The rate of increase in live weight gain to increasing intake declined as intake increased and more so for red deer than hybrids. The final experiment in the series involved individually housed deer and aimed to more precisely determine differences in maintenance requirement and examine the difference in composition of gain between genotypes. In addition, in vivo apparent DM digestibility was measured in both genotypes. Red deer (n=7) and hybrid weaner stags (n=7) were housed in individual pens for a period of 8 weeks in both winter (July - August) and spring (November - December) and offered one of 7 feeding levels which ranged from maintenance to ad lib. During each 8 week experimental period, live weight gain, apparent digestibility and feed intake were measured. Immediately prior to, and at the conclusion of each 8 week period body composition was estimated using computer-assisted topography (CT scan). In winter, there was no significant difference in the live weight gain response to intake although red deer tended to have a higher (44 vs 55 MJ/kg) requirement for gain than hybrids. In spring, red deer had a lower requirement for maintenance (0.35 vs 0.47 MJ ME/W0.75/day) but a greater requirement for live weight gain (64 vs 35 MJ/kg) than hybrids. In spring, mean ad lib intake was about 30% higher than in winter and was greater for hybrids than for red deer. Energy retention in whole body (kJ/W0.75/day) did not differ between genotypes in either winter or spring but both the energy requirement for zero energy balance (0.59 vs 0.48 MJ ME/W0.75/day) and the efficiency of utilisation (0.37 vs 0.24) was greater in spring than in winter. The disparity between live weight gain and whole body weight gain may have been due to differences in gut fill. There was no significant difference between genotypes in relative growth coefficients for lean, bone or adipose tissue in whole body. However hybrids tended to have a higher winter and lower spring growth coefficient for fat compared with red deer. Growth coefficients for adipose, lean and bone, respectively were 0.983, 1.063 and 1.026 for winter and 1.02, 0.708 and 1.727 for spring. At the same whole body weight, deer in October had less adipose tissue than in August. It is unclear whether this represents a strategy for rapid spring growth or is an artefact of experimental protocol. Apparent dry matter digestibility (DMD) did not differ between genotypes but was higher by between 7 and 15 percentage units in winter compared with spring. Unexpectedly, digestibility was positively correlated with intake. Digestibility increased by 2.6 percentage units for every 10g DM/W0.75/day increase in either season in one group and 4.1 and 2.1 percentage units for deer in winter and spring respectively in another group. Errors in faecal collection were discounted as causes of the unexpected result.

A series of eight experiments was conducted to investigate the requirement for thyroid hormones in neuroendocrine processes which lead to the seasonally anoestrous state in red deer hinds. The first two experiments used thyroidectomized, ovariectomized, oestradiol-treated hinds which received various thyroid hormone replacement treatments (n=5 per group) to investigate the timing and dose-responsiveness of thyroid hormones in bringing about seasonal oestradiol-induced suppression of plasma LH concentration. A significant seasonal decline in mean plasma LH concentration during September (coinciding with the onset of anoestrus in entire cycling hinds in New Zealand) was observed in all thyroidectomized hinds in both experiments regardless of T₄ or T₃ treatment. When oestradiol implants were removed in November or December, mean plasma LH concentrations increased significantly in all but one of hinds in which T₄ had been administered at very low doses by subcutaneous implants, and mean plasma LH concentrations and LH pulse amplitude increased in approximately half of hinds administered T₃ at varying doses by subcutaneous injections over a one-week period in October. These results suggested that thyroid hormones are not required for steroid-dependent reproductive suppression, but could possibly play a role in steroid-independent suppression of LH secretion. Because problems were encountered in delivering appropriate doses of thyroid hormones in both experiments, further confirmation of these findings was required. Therefore in the next experiment the role of thyroid gland secretions was examined in euthyroid (n=5) and thyroidectomized (n=4) ovariectomized hinds treated with oestradiol implants. These implants were removed for about one month on three occasions to examine the effect of thyroidectomy on steroid-independent control of seasonal LH secretion. During the non-breeding season basal and GnRH-induced plasma LH concentrations declined in all hinds in the presence of oestradiol, but returned to breeding season levels when oestradiol was withdrawn in November. In a concurrent experiment, thyroidectomy of ovary-entire hinds (n=7) during the breeding season prevented the cessation of oestrous cyclicity in spring; this was in contrast to oestrous cyclicity in T₄replaced (n=4) or euthyroid control (n=5) hinds which ceased to occur in early September. Collectively, these results indicate that thyroid hormones are required for the termination of the breeding season in cycling red deer hinds and that this action occurs via steroid-independent neuroendocrine pathways. Two experiments were conducted using neurotransmitter receptor agonists and antagonists to identify neural pathways in the brain which mediate LH suppression by oestradiol and by steroid-independent mechanisms, and to test if the thyroid gland is required for activation of these pathways during the non-breeding season. It was concluded from the lack of plasma LH responses to dopaminergic and opioidergic agonists and antagonists in ovariectomized and ovariectomized, thyroidectomized hinds (n=5) that neural pathways involving dopamine-D₂receptors do not mediate oestradiol-induced seasonal suppression of plasma LH concentrations, and neither dopaminergic or opioid neural pathways mediate non-steroidal suppression of plasma LH concentrations. However preliminary evidence was obtained for a stimulatory role of serotonergic neural pathways in controlling LH secretion. Another experiment was conducted to identify when the steroid-independent mechanisms which suppress LH concentrations during the non-breeding season are responsive to thyroid hormones. T₄treatment at the beginning of or during the non breeding season was effective in bringing about suppression of plasma LH concentration in thyroidectomized, ovariectomized hinds (n=5 per group), but this action of thyroid hormones did not occur during the breeding season. These results show that the steroid-independent mechanisms which contribute to seasonal suppression of plasma gonadotrophin concentrations require thyroid hormones to be present only from around the time of the end of the breeding season for their normal expression, and they remain responsive to thyroid hormones after this period. Lastly, the feasibility of achieving out-of-season breeding using thyroidectomized hinds (n=9) was evaluated by comparing oestrous behaviour, ovulation and pregnancy rates to those of euthyroid control hinds (n=7) following synchronization of oestrous cycles. There was a non-significant trend for a greater occurrence of oestrous behaviour and ovulation in thyroidectomized hinds compared with euthyroid controls during the non-breeding season, but the pregnancy rate following out-of season mating with a thyroidectomized stag was low, suggesting that a side effect of thyroidectomy may be impaired fertility. Six out-of-season pregnancies were obtained from eight matings, however because three of these pregnancies occurred in euthyroid control hinds no improvement in out-of-season reproductive performance could be attributed to thyroidectomy. It is likely that if the actions of the thyroid glands are to be exploited as a tool for achieving out-of-season breeding in this species, techniques will have to be developed for specifically blocking or overcoming the effects of thyroid hormones on the reproductive neuroendocrine centres without causing general hypothyroidism and its associated side-effects.

This master thesis is focused on GPS telemetry of red deer (Cercus elaphus) in the environment of the Doupov Mountains in the Military training Hradiště. In the first part of the thesis are solution of introduction to general issues preferences and the occurrence of red deer and other related ungulates. The second part of the thesis is focused on my own research. The Positional data monitored hind Dorothy was collected in the period 1. 7. 30. 3. 2014. The aim was to determine, if the time hunting have to influence to microhabitat preferences on the hind of red deer and if the selection of posts are accidental or is influenced by the characteristics of the post. The Research conducted of data inventory from GPS using collar and of data, which arised laser air scanning the surface (technology LiDAR). For comparison and finding the preferences of the hind was created the network accidental comparative points. Field exploration and LiDAR technology consider the dependence of the average height of vegetation around of Dorothy positions the period of the year and the time of day. Data was evaluated ANOVA for the non-parametric data distribution (Kruskal-Wallisova) and the program Microsoft Excel. At each station has been carefully identified information about the location including visibility of the hunting-game device and height of stand. The results indicate that the average height of the vegetation was at the stands searched by the hind of red deer during a sunrise and a day. The lowest was in night and at sunset. The hind of red deer prefer, in hunting time during the day, thick scrub and during the night more open spaces with larger views properties, where she actively looking for food. The most preferred visibility at the time of hunting and off time hunting was to the eastern direction. The most least preferred visibility was always to the western direction. Minimum presence of the hunting-game device is in the time of hunting during at the day and sunrise, maximum at night. This behavior was probably caused increased hunting activity. The results of the thesis may be used in forestry management, for forest protection and by planning of hunting management of the red deer populations.