Sustainable game management as one of the determinants of the welfare of hunting animals

Abstract

There are groups of species among game animals demonstrating varied life strategies, demographic conditions and protective status. Therefore, a specific approach to managing the particular populations is needed. Game animals are more dependent on the natural environment because they are inseparable from it and any change in their natural habitat immediately affects the populations they create. The purpose of breeding wild animals in their natural habitat is primarily to preserve populations of different species in their natural biotopes, in the optimum biocenotic densities, species structure, as well as age and sex of the population. The work has attempted to point out elements in the hunting management that maintain welfare of the game animals. The described biochemical and physiological indicators of the organism, which reflect the internal equilibrium in an organism are influenced by various external environmental factors. In addition, attention was paid to other parameters describing the animal condition, e.g. energy reserves in the form of adipose tissue, antler weight, and population density and structure.