YELLOW SNOW AND RED DEER - DO URINARY METABOLITES REFLECT ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCES

The effects of nutritional restriction on protein metabolism in non-su pplemented alpine red deer (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus) were monitored during winter by snow-urine analysis. Forage was barely restricted in availability, but of low quality. Urinary urea:creatinine ratios (U:C ) suggested that in non-supplemented red deer endogenous protein reser ves were progressively depleted during the course of the winter and th at the animals catabolized body protein to meet N demands already in e arly winter. However, potassium:creatinine ratios (K:C) reflected that the animals presumably satisfied energy demands by increasing intake. In a supplemented herd studied in comparison, urinary metabolites sho wed the same seasonal trend, despite constant and unlimited feed suppl y. Red deer are known to decrease activity, metabolic rate and volunta ry feed intake in November or December as an adaptation to reduced for age quality and availability. However, U:C ratios, as an index of prot ein metabolism, showed a significant decline only in late January in b oth herds. Intensive hunting pressure may have caused energetically co stly predator-avoidance strategies thus extending the period of tissue protein catabolism in nonsupplemented red deer and the period of high feed protein intake in supplemented red deer.