Mortality in a feral population of muntjac Muntiacus reevesi in England

In Monks Wood National Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire, England, the death occurred of approximately half of a large, feral population of muntjac deer Muntiacus reevesi (Ogilby, 1839} during January to April 1994. From their body mass and from post-mortem examination, the deer were evidently starving, and pneumonia was the ultimate cause of death in a number of cases. The incident coincided with increased foraging activity. Mortality was much reduced in 1995. Examination of a sample of deer shot in 1995 indicated body mass to be higher than for the 1994 casualties, but still lower than for deer from other sites. Without direct management of the popu­lation, future mortality incidents may be anticipated when the winter population is relatively high or weather conditions unfavourable.