ON THE HISTORY OF RED DEER IN THE LOWER R HINE AREA OF NORTHRHINE-WESTPHALIA

In the sparsely wooded regions of the Lower Rhine in Northrhine-Westph alia bordering the largest industrial area in Europe, red deer still o ccur in the fenced Reichswald on an area of 4000 ha, in Diersfordt in a 350 ha enclosure, and free-living in the red deer district of Dammer wald-Herrlichkeit Lembeck throughout a zone extending 40 km east-west. The total population amounts to about 500 animals. The red deer popul ations survived in former royal forests and later in sovereign woods. The enclosures in Diersfordt, Gartrop, and Lembeck were established du ring the second half of the 19th century and contributed to the mainte nance of the red deer population. The earliest record of a fallow deer reserve for Northrhine-Westphalia is for the park at Raesfeld mention ed in 1664. Body weights and antler development in the now separated o ccurrences indicate a former continuous and uniform population. The re lease of Rominter game in 1976 resulted in a clear increase in body we ight and trophy dimensions in the red deer district Dammerwald-Herrlic hkeit Lembeck. The establishment of the red deer district Dammerwald-H errlichkeit Lembeck in the border region between Rhineland and Westpha lia is described.