ABSTRACT
The case studies have been selected to illustrate, in some detail, the important processes and factors that have been identified in the previous two chapters.
RED DEER
Following the demise and extinction of the elk 9500 years ago the red deer Cervus elaphus became the largest wild mammal in Britain. Although it was once abundant in the formerly extensive native woodlands its range began to contract with forest clearances that were associated with human settlement from about 5000 BP. Agricultural intensification, combined with the widespread introduction of sheep and hunting, further reduced the numbers and range of red deer. The low point was probably reached in the mid to late eighteenth century (Cameron 1923). Most British red deer are now found in Scotland, although there are more isolated populations in regions such as the Lake District and Exmoor. There are also a number of captive groups in country parks and estates such as Lyme Park on the outskirts of Stockport.
