Analysis of land utilisation by red deer in the Apennine Mountain.

Wild ungulates usually utilise for their activities wide ranges, constituted by different habitat types such as woodland, grassland, unproductive surfaces and also suburban areas. The knowledge of the home range extent and characteristics is important with regards to conflicts with agriculture and forest management and useful for best management practices of wildlife. We investigated the spatial behaviour and habitat use of 12 female red deer (Cervus elaphus) in a protected area in central Italy from spring to autumn 2009. Animals were equipped with GPS collars able to record locations (fix) taken once an hour. Seasonal home ranges were generated for each hind in a GIS system. Home range sizes were highly variable between individuals but generally consistent in time. Habitat composition within individual spring and summer home ranges differed from overall availability, showing marked preference for pastures and meadows. Moreover, within home ranges the animals used these open habitats more than suggested by their availability in spring and autumn. Our results confirm the great importance of pastures and meadows for red deer, especially in areas with a prevalence of woods with low availability of undergrowth.