How many roe deer live in Estonia? This apparently simple question is difficult to answer if not downright impossible. Of the data in the graphs we can only use the big peaks and lows for calculations. Why is that?
The fur coat of dense tube-shaped hairs helps to withstand low temperatures. How winter conditions will be managed is mainly influenced by the thickness of the snow cover.
Photo: Tarmo Mikussaar
Posted by the Animal of the Year team in Estonian 08.02.2017
This winter brings only pleasure for roe deer. Thick, layered snow does not prevent movements nor make it difficult to get at food. Digging a sleeping place needs no hard work either. Unlike elks, roe deer must not sleep on snow, only on the ground. Otherwise health problems quickly arrive. Pneumonia or diarrhoea would very probably mean that the next spring will remain unseen.
Trail camera image from Valgamaa. Badgers are awake.
Photo Kalmer Lehepuu
Posted by the Animal of the Year team, 05.02.2017
The Year of the Badger has ended but here is a recent trail camera image of badgers. The snow has come and gone, and come and gone again this year in Valgamaa. At most there was about 10 cm of it. At present there is no snow and it seems as if the sleep of badgers has vanished with the snow. From January 23rd they have come out of the burrow every evening at about 7 o’clock to go on their badgers’ business.
The population density of roe deer is highest in Central Europe: Germany, Austria, southern Sweden, reaching to several hundred individuals per 1000 hectares. By comparison in Estonia the population density of roe deer is around some tens of individuals per 1000 hectares.
Photo: Tarmo Mikussaar
Posted by the Animal of the Year team in Estonian 29.01.2017
In the "Osoon" programme in ETV on Monday renowned wildlife photographer Remo Savisaar talked about the making of his best roe deer photos.
With hunter Priit Vahtramäe"Osoon" also visited the salt lick block in the place from where we soon should see the first images from the roe deer online camera.
The ancient Estonians called the roe deer “kaber”, today this name has been forgotten and instead “kits”, goat, has been borrowed from German. But the roe deer, the metskits, "forest goat", is no goat but instead a small deer. The goat belongs to the Bovidae family being a relative of sheep and bovines, the roe deer is a deer like the red deer and the elk.
Photo: Tarmo Mikussaar
Posted by the Animal of the Year team 02.01.2017
Aasta looma nänni - ilvesepildiga tasse, kotte ja magneteid saab osta Tallinna Loomaaia heategevuslikust e-poest. Tassi ja kotid leiad vastava kategooria alt siit.