Research

Studies on Wildlife Behavior

• Behavioral adaptation and timeframe: How quickly do wild animals adjust to a low-disturbance environment, and when does natural behavior reestablish itself?

• Spatial use and territory size: Do wild animals actively seek out the reserve, and how does the size of the area influence their behavior and movement patterns?

• Influences on adjacent areas: What impact does the hunting-free zone have on neighboring regions?

• Ecological self-regulation: Are there signs of a self-regulating ecosystem – such as natural population fluctuations, the formation of new niches, or a decline in invasive species? This is particularly relevant with regard to the presence of raccoons, which have established themselves in the area.

• Return of rare and displaced species: Which species, previously pushed back by hunting pressure or human disturbance, are returning?

• Predator-prey relationships: How do trophic interactions develop?

• Activity and social structures: Are there changes in activity patterns (e.g., diurnal vs. nocturnal) or in social interactions between species?

• Biodiversity and reproduction: Does species composition change, and does the reserve influence reproductive behavior?

Impact on Humans

The project examines the long-term social, ecological, and sustainable effects of the low-disturbance zone – with opportunities for wildlife observation – on people’s perception, attitudes, and behavior toward nature.

• Connection to nature and perception: How do nature experiences and wildlife observations influence people’s perception of nature and their sense of connectedness with it? Can direct engagement with nature create a bridge that enables people to shape their lifestyles in the modern world more sustainably?

• Empathy and sense of responsibility: Do encounters with wildlife not only strengthen empathy and responsibility for their protection, but also increase the willingness to integrate sustainable principles from nature into everyday life?

The project aims above all to inspire people to see nature as a source of inspiration, to understand its principles, and to actively integrate them into a more sustainable way of life.

In the region, there are already initial experiences with hunting-free areas in a nature reserve of about 130 hectares (NSG “Geierswalder Heide”) within the post-mining landscape. There, roe deer are found significantly more frequently than in the managed zone of the reserve. In the hunting-free process protection zone of the wilderness area “Königsbrücker Heide” in the district of Bautzen, even 10- to 20-fold higher densities of red deer were recorded compared to the hunted border zones in the state forest (Naumann & Tottewitz 2018). However, in this case only the quantitative effects on ungulates were studied.

Source: Neumann, M. & Tottewitz, F. (2018): Zum Raum-Zeit-Verhalten von Rotwild im Wildnisgebiet Königsbrücker Heide. Beiträge zur Jagd- und Wildforschung Bd. 43, S. 35-44