engleski

Presence and frequency of different lesions and anomalies of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) mandibles in east Slovenia

In Slovenia, left part of the mandibles of all ungulates shot or found dead have to be collected for the purposes of wildlife management. These mandibles can provide useful information on ecological status of populations, including presence, distribution, frequency and severity of some anomalies, affections and/or injuries of jaws/teeth. All of them can lead to the dysfunction of the chewing system and might have a negative influence on the health status of a single animal or even on the viability of populations. Moreover, insights into the presence and distribution of some of anomalies may also be very interesting for understanding of evolutionary development of wild ungulates. In 2007, more than 20 000 mandibles of roe deer, shot or found in the East Slovenia, were collected. Assessment of spatial distribution and prevalence of several different anomalies/lesions, such as actinomycosis, periodontal disease, appearance of the first premolar (P1, which is usually absent in roe deer) or any other supernumerary tooth, hypodontia (particularly the absence of P2), inflammation, uncomplicated and complicated tooth fractures, bone fractures and deformations, and malocclusion, was carried out. Presence and the distribution of these affections have generally random (dispersed) pattern in Slovenia, and are usually not affected by any parameter of habitat quality. However, grouping of some of anomalies (e.g. actinomycosis, severe periodontal disease) in some hunting grounds indicates that both genetic and environmental cofactors should be studied in the future.

roe deer; mandible; anomalies; health status; actinomycosis; periodontal disease

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