The Status and Swot Analysis of Roe Deer Population Management in the Hunting Grounds of Central Serbia

Summary The purpose of this study is to examine the status of roe deer population in the hunting grounds of Central Serbia, and perform a SWOT analysis of its management. The data used herein on the number of roe deer individuals and culling events were obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management - Forest Administration and the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Moreover, the Law on Game and Hunting was used for analysis purposes. The status of roe deer population in the hunting grounds of Serbia is quite unsatisfactory, depending on the geographical area and wildlife management practices. In 2021, a total of 86,755 individuals were recorded in the area of Central Serbia, which accounts for 97.54% of the optimal population. However, the number of roe deer in the individual hunting grounds of the Central and Eastern hunting areas was above the optimal density, whereas the number of roe deer accounted for 88.58% and 89.12% of the optimal density in the individual hunting grounds of the Southern and Western hunting areas, respectively. The largest number of individuals per unit area (km2) was recorded in the Eastern (2.06) and Belgrade (2.02) hunting areas, whereas the smallest number of individuals per unit area (km2) was recorded in the Southern (1.02) and Western (1.34) hunting areas. The following issues were identified as major impediments to the management of roe deer population in the hunting grounds considered: legislative and regulatory instruments, non-compliance and non-enforcement of a large number of regulations, roe deer monitoring issues, poor hunting ground control, inapplicability of certain regulations in the field of veterinary medicine, environmental protection, unresolved issues of trophy and game meat export, lack of strategic planning (namely the hunting development strategies of the Republic of Serbia), lack of deer habitat monitoring methodology and rating methodology, and unprofessional planning and development of hunting ground management plans. The SWOT analysis performed emphasized the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of roe deer population management in Serbia.