RESEARCH PAPER
Camera Trap-Based Analysis of Habitat and Landscape Drivers of Ungulate Presence in the Białowieża Forest (NE Poland)
 
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1
Forest Research Institute
 
2
Warsaw University of Life Sciences
 
 
Online publication date: 2026-03-10
 
 
Corresponding author
Krauze-Gryz Dagny   

Warsaw University of Life Sciences
 
 
 
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ABSTRACT
Large herbivores strongly influence the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems through their habitat selection and interspecific interactions. Yet, most studies have been conducted in highly modified landscapes. We investigated habitat use and co-occurrence of ungulates in the Polish part of the Białowieża Primeval Forest, one of Europe’s best-preserved temperate forests, with nearly the full assemblage of large herbivores and predators. Using data from 743 camera trap sites monitored for an average of 39 days between 2011 and 2015, we analysed records of red deer, roe deer, and wild boar, along with the presence of the European bison. Generalized linear models assessed the influence of forest type, stand age, protection status, distance to landscape features, and co-occurrence with European bison. We recorded over 19,000 mammal detections, with ungulates dominating. Roe and red deer were more often recorded in managed than protected stands, likely reflecting greater forage availability in younger forests, whereas wild boar was more frequent in protected stands, possibly owing to better feeding opportunities on seeds (i.e., acorns) and no hunting. Only wild boar had a tendency to occur closer to crops and further from roads. Both the roe deer and the wild boar occurred closer to rivers. All species co-occurred with European bison, suggesting shared habitat preferences. Our findings highlight the interplay of habitat heterogeneity, forest management, predation, and human disturbance in shaping ungulate distribution.
eISSN:1825-5272
ISSN:0394-1914
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