Spatio-temporal analyses on roe deer activity (Capreolus capreolus L.) in areas with and without wolf (Canis lupus L.) presence

. In 2021 in north-western Bulgaria, on the territory of State Forestry "Midzhur", West Stara Planina Mtn, we analysed the temporal and spatial activity of the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in an area with scarce other large ungulates. In the locations where both wolf and roe deer were recorded a significant (75%) temporal overlap between the two species was found (Δ = 0 75, range 0.62 - 0.96 at CI 95). Although the overlap between the activity of the roe deer in locations with and without wolf registrations was high (Δ = 0.72, range 0.58 - 0.92 at CI 95), the activity had two clearly different main peaks - around 18:00 in locations without wolves and around 05:00 h in locations with wolves. The results of the time-spacing analysis showed that the average time for a roe deer to appear after the presence of a wolf (min = 8:17 h) was greater than the time needed for the wolf to appear after a roe deer (min = 1:35 h). The difference in the spatial distribution of roe deer in areas with and without wolf presence was not statistically significant; yet the highest detection rate of roe deer was recorded in locations with wolf registrations. This allowed us to conclude that the roe deer as a potential main prey species of the wolf in the region was not avoiding the predator spatially but temporarily while the wolf the strategy of the wolf was to synchronize its circadian activity with that of the roe deer.