POPULATION-DYNAMICS (1869-1994), DEMOGRAPHY, AND HOME RANGES OF THE LYNX IN BIALOWIEZA PRIMEVAL FOREST (POLAND AND BYELARUS)

Population dynamics, demography and home ranges of the Eurasian lynx L ynx lynx were studied in Bialowieza Primeval Forest (BPF, 1250 km(2)), the best preserved mixed and deciduous forest in the lowlands of Euro pe; 40% of BPF area belongs to Poland and 60% to the Belarus Republic. Results of radiotelemetry of lynx (1991-1994) were combined with the Polish and Belarussian game departments' inventories of lynx numbers ( 1946-1994), archival hunting statistics (1869-1989), observations and snowtracking of lynx. In 1991-1994, 12 lynx were radiocollared. Their home ranges covered from 50 to 246 km(2) (mean 147 km(2)), depending l argely on the time the lynx was radiotracked. During a given period, i .e. the autumn-winter seasons (1 October-30 April), the home ranges we re largest in adult males (90-148 km(2)), then in adult females (82-10 8 km(2)), and smallest in subadult lynxes (39-55 km(2)). Home ranges o verlapped extensively. In winters 1992/93 and 1993/94, 21 and 29 lynxe s, respectively, were recorded by the mapping of radiotracked and snow tracked individuals in the Polish part of BPF. Of them, 40% were 'tran sborder' individuals utilising both Polish and Belarussian parts of BP F. Winter densities were c. 3 adult lynx 100 km(-2) and 5 lynx 100 km( -2) if kittens were included. Adult males formed, on average. 29% and reproducing females 23% of all lynx. Subadults and kittens constituted , respectively, 12% and 35% of the population. Sex ratio was 1:1. Duri ng the first 3 months of kittens' life, on average 3.3 kittens/mother were recorded; only 1.6 young/mother survived till independence. Morta lity of kittens was at least 48%, and the rate of mortality was highes t during the early stage of kittens' life. Mean annual reproduction ra te of lynx population was 0.59. In the protected population, annual mo rtality rate of subadult and adult lynx was on average 0.37. Poaching was the most important factor contributing 71% to the total annual mor tality rate. During the last 125 years (1869-1994), three periods with relatively low harvest of lynx by man and thus with fairly natural fu nctioning of lynx population, were recorded: before 1875 (density 2-3 lynx 100 km(-2)), in 1920-1959 (4-6 lynx 100 km(-2)) and after 1970 (2 -5 lynx 100 km(-2)). The levels of lynx densities were most probably d etermined by the varying abundance of roe deer Capreolus capreolus and red deer Cervus elaphus (lynx's main prey) in the ungulate community in BPF. Two periods of near extermination of lynx occurred (1890-1914 and 1960-1970), both caused by deliberate persecution of lynx. As soon as persecution was abandoned, lynx population recovered rapidly, main ly due to immigration from vast continuous forests in the east and nor th-east. Review of the long-term data on lynx dynamics in the Palaearc tic revealed that in the Far North-East (Yakutia), the 10-year cycles of lynx and the blue hare Lepus timidus, its main prey, were recorded. Towards west, the cycle period becomes shorter (5-6 years in the Komi region). In the SW regions of the Palaearctic, where lynx relies on u ngulates, lynx numbers are more stable but, periodically, also more af fected by man.