Roe Deer Reintroduction to the Southern Edge of Their Range: a Feasibility Study

Reintroduction programs have become one of the major conservation methods worldwide in the effort to protect threatened species and rehabilitate ecosystems. However, success rates are generally low, often due to information deficiency on the ecological requirements of the reintroduced species. It has been demonstrated that habitat quality can be the most important factor in determining reintroduction success, emphasizing the need for comprehensive feasibility studies in reintroduction programs. Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) were driven to extinction in the East Mediterranean, their most southern range, at the beginning of the 20th century. In an effort to reintroduce roe deer to its original habitat in Israel, a European originated breeding colony was established by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. However, reintroduction success is especially low at the edge of a species range, and the xeric conditions of the East Mediterranean may prove to be suboptimal for roe deer. The aim of this study was to define habitat requirements for roe deer in this region.