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The distribution of mouflons (Ovis ammon musimon Pal.) in the Republic of Croatia

This paperwork was based upon materials from professional and scientific publication, together with results of an opinion poll among licensed hunters in whose hunting places mouflons inhabit or used to inhabit. Mouflons have been introduced in Croatia at the beginning of the 20th century, especially in the Mediterranean area. The simplicity of breeding, modest habitat requirements and very attractive trophies, are classifying mouflons among the most favorable species for hunting farming at the Mediterranean and at continental region of the Croatia. Data for 1990 reads 1200 mouflons with planned hunting for 100 animals. The exhibition of hunting trophies from 1981 shows that those mouflons were quality trophy wild animals: there were 43 trophies in gold medals, 10 in silver medals and 4 in bronze. The most significant trophy of mouflon at present, was shot at Peljesac peninsula, and has been marked with 233 CIC points. At the moment over 2, 245 animals forming 18 populations in Croatia, from which five in the Continental, and the other 13 on the Mediterranean part of Croatia. Concerning the perspective of the management of the mouflon there are certain biological and law limitations. There are acting two biological limiting factors: predators in the coastal region and in depth (wolf - Canis lupus, lynx - Lynx lynx, and jackal - Canis aureus), and breeding of domestic sheep in some of the opened hunting grounds which presents a danger of cross-breeding of mouflons with domestic sheep. Law restrictions are focused on the Adriatic islands. In the other words, Law on islands from the year of 1998 forbids import of the animal species which do not have habitates on the islands. Consequently, further settlement of the mouflons at ideal habitates of the Adriatic islands is prevented. Estimated number of mouflons who could habitat, within the basic funds only at the Mediterranean region of the Croatia, is around 5000.

mouflon ; Croatia ; introduction ; estimation of population numbers ; distribution

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