CC BY
10
Marek Balcerak, Bartlomiej Popczyk, Robert Glogowski ©
Warsaw Agricultural University
CHANGES IN THE SIZE OF THE POPULATION OF THE HARE IN
POLAND (1990 - 2008)
Abstract
Presented analysis was aimed at determining changes of the population of the hare and fox populations between 1990 and 2008. In the examined period the headage of the hare was reduced about 45%. Number of the fox (the main natural enemy of the hare) grew in spite of the intensive reduction to the state 209.5 thousands. The greatest concentration of hares appears in provinces where the most foxes are being hunt. The ecosystems richest in hares are Mazovian, Lodz and Great Poland provinces.
Key words: hunting economy, hare, fox, hunting statistics
Introduction
In sixties and seventies of the last century the hare belonged to the most common game animals in Poland. According to statistical data in 1970 altogether 386 thousands of hares were shot. Evaluating contemporary economic meaning of the hare it is possible to state that it was the most important game animal the Polish People's Republic. Apart from the realization of the plan of shootings an exploitation of opened breeding was being carried on. In 1970 altogether 77 thousands hares were caught alive (GUS 1986). The hare became the export animal, in mid-sixties they were taking out of the country approximately 50 thousand hares annually. According to studies of the Institute of Ecology PAN, in season 1964/1965 the statistical hunter in Poland hunted hares about 5 times, getting over 20 specimens (Pielowski, 1966).
According to statistical data from 2008 scarcely 163 hares were caught alive what constitutes not quite of 1% of total population estimated on the basis of the spring quantitative state. The size of the hare herd was assessed on 531.8 thousands, whereas the shooting is being assessed by individuals scarcely on 23 thousands (GUS 2009).
The decrease in the population started already at the beginning of the nineties, in addition in the hunting year with 1991/1992 they were hunted in 81% of hunting circumferences (Stonemason and Panek, 2008). At present shootings are limited, there are areas in whom all through the year not a single hare was shot.
Amongst causes of the reduction in the headage, health problems are being mentioned, the intensification of the farming and changes happening in natural developing country lands, poachers and predators (Motyl, 2007). The hare has many enemies and one of the most effective is the fox of whom number after 2002 radically grew.
© Marek Balcerak, Bartlomiej Popczyk, Robert Glogowski, 2009
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Task
The aim of the study was to determine changes of the polish population of the hare between 1990-2008. An attempt at determining diversifying regional appearing of the hare was also made. The variation of the reduction rate in polish population of the hare and a fox were also determined.
Materials and methods
The analysis was carried out on the basis of statistical data of the Polish Hunting Association between 1990 and 2008. The number of animals is being estimated with reference to the hunting year, and a period it covers is from April 1st to March 31st next year.
Quantitative states of the population inventory animals for the spring population per day of March 31st every year. On the basis of gathered material for every year a per cent of the reduction in the headage was calculated expressed with the share of hunted hares in the whole population. Analysis carried out on the basis of the amount of hunts enabled to determine the area structure of population of the hare in the examined period in Poland.
Results of researches
The Number of the hare is characterized by a downward trend from the beginning of the nineties. According to hunting statistics the headage of the hare was reduced about 45%. According to Pielowski (1966) in the majority young specimens being a simple haul for the very large group of predators are being reduced.
Table 1
1990*/1991 1995*/1996 2000*/2001 2005*/2006 2006*/2007 2007*/2008
* - at March 31st the beginning of hunting season
Fox 55,80 67,40 145,10 201,20 218,80 215,40
Hare 1 153,80 925,70 551,40 475,40 506,90 515,80
Animals hunted
Fox 29,00 38,00 101,00 175,00 142,00 147,00
Hare 232,00 189,00 65,00 30,00 16,00 23,00
Live catching
Hare 35,00 24,00 6,00 1,20 0,05 0,16
Headage reduction (%)
Fox 51,97 56,38 69,61 86,98 64,90 68,25
Hare 23,14 23,01 12,88 6,56 3,17 4,49
Source: PZL
The limitation of a downward trend is not supported by growing population of fox, well accommodating to changeable agricultural landscape. Rabies decrease program implemented in 2002, supports the exceptional strengthening the fox population, who is posing a threat to the hare by 365 days of the year.
In the ecosystem from a sanitary point of view it is possible to assume the prevention of rabies as the success. Amount of cases of rabies from 1992 decreased
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from about 3084 to less than 138 in 2005 (Smerczak, 2007). At the same time a factor regulating the population of foxes into the natural way was reduced to a minimum. In spite of high, reaching almost 87% intensity of hunting, the quantitative state of predators was almost 210 thousands on March 31.03.2008 (Tables 1, 2).
Table 2
The population ant the hunting of the fox and the hare in provinces.
Fox Hare Fox Hare
Provinces
2008 (thousands) * Hunting 2007/2008
P O L A N D 209,50 531,80 147,30 23,01
Dolnosl^skie 11,10 16,40 8,12 0,003
Kujawsko-pomorskie 12,70 43,00 11,26 1,06
Lubelskie 16,50 48,30 9,50 2,76
Lubuskie 8,40 8,70 4,80 -
Lodzkie 10,10 74,10 10,35 2,89
Malopolskie 10,30 33,50 9,44 4,06
Mazowieckie 20,50 85,20 13,26 5,27
Opolskie 5,20 7,20 4,28 0,03
Podkarpackie 11,90 17,90 7,99 0,41
Podlaskie 10,40 38,30 4,71 1,06
Pomorskie 13,70 14,00 8,29 0,26
Sl^skie 7,70 17,20 5,24 1,36
Swi^tokrzyskie 7,10 29,50 4,40 2,91
Warminsko-mazurskie 18,40 23,30 9,97 0,23
Wielkopolskie 19,20 45,30 21,05 0,61
Zachodniopomorskie 15,30 13,30 9,40 0,02
OHZ Lasy Panstwowe 11,00 16,60 5,24 0,07
* quantitative state for day 31 of March, beginning of the hunting year Source: PZL
In the face of the drastic fall in the population of the hare, the hunting exploitation was limited, suspending live catching and limiting the hunt. In regions where quantitative states remain exceptionally low-lying this animal isn't being acquired. A lubuskie province can be an example where not a single hare was hunted in the hunting year.
The distribution of the population of the hare remains uneven. Analyzing statistical data from the beginning of the nineties, definitely the most of animals appeared in the central part of the country. Hunt areas of ancient provinces remained most abundant Sieradz, Lodz, Skierniewice and Piotrkow Trybunalski. Fewest hares were found in north-western Poland (Kamieniarz i Panek, 2008).
Analyzing quantitative states at the end of the March of 2008, the largest headage (38% of population) is found in provinces mazowieckie, lodzkie and wielkopolskie. They are areas in whom the conducted intense shooting of the fox is (30% shootings in the country). According to complicate state of the hare, the hunting is being limited and determining the concentration of animals on the basis of hunts remains not entirely authoritative. It is possible however to state that the shooting in
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limited amounts is being conducted on the south of the country and in the mazowieckie province. Conclusions
• Since 1990 the headage of the hare was reduced about 45%, due to the number of predators, especially a common fox.
• Since mid-nineties hunts of hares were limited. In the season 1995/1996 23% of headage was being reduced. The amount of shootings declined to 4.49%
• The hunting of the fox increased in record-breaking years 2005-2006 175 thousands were hunted.
• The highest concentration of the hare appears in areas where the intensive reduction in the fox is being conducted and these are: mazowieckie, lodzkie and wielkopolskie provinces.
References:
1. GUS 1986, Rocznik Statystyczny 1985, GUS Warszawa
2. GUS 2009, Rocznik Statystyczny 2008, GUS Warszawa
3. Pielowski Z. 1966 Zaj^c PWRiL Warszawa
4. Kamieniarz R, Panek M. 2008. Zwierz^ta lowne w Polsce na przelomie XX i XXI w. PZL Czempin.
5. Motyl T 2007, Stan zwierzyny drobnej w obwodach lowieckich warszawskiego okr^gu PZL. Nauka lowiectwu, Kryzys zwierzyny drobnej i sposoby przeciwdzialania. Samorz^d Wojewodztwa Mazowieckiego Warszawa, 7-13.
6. Smerczak M. 2007. Efekty doustnego uodparniania lisow przeciwko wsciekliznie. Kryzys zwierzyny drobnej i sposoby przeciwdzialania. Samorz^d Wojewodztwa Mazowieckiego Warszawa, 39-48.
7. Wasilewski M. 2007. Drapieznictwo a zwierzyna drobna. Nauka lowiectwu, Kryzys zwierzyny drobnej i sposoby przeciwdzialania. Samorz^d Wojewodztwa Mazowieckiego Warszawa, 34-38.
Summary
The paper presents the variations in the populations of hare and fox between 1990-2008. The analysis of statistical data showed the decrease of the population of hare from 1153,8 to 515,8 thousands. This tendency constant since the nineties, is favored by increase in the number of common fox in the wild. The intensive hunting does not reduce significantly the size of the fox population, exceeding 200 thousands. The highest concentration of fox was observed in mazowieckie, lodzkie and wielkopolskie provinces.
Стаття надшшла до редакцИ 22.09.2009
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