The game fauna of Latvia is typical for the east Baltic region: it includes 17 mammal and 28 bird species. There is a shooting season and quotas for most species. The community of wild ungulates comprises four species - elk (Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa). Roe deer is the most numerous cervid in Latvia. Large carnivores are wolf (Canis lupus), lynx (Lynx lynx), and brown bear (Ursus arctos). The last is a protected species and is found mainly in northeastern Latvia. A drastic decline in ungulate numbers during the 1990s, combined with a simultaneous increase in wolf and lynx populations, resulted in heavy hunting of the predators, especially wolves. The first countrywide project onwolf ecology was started in 1997. A semi-aquatic mammal of special interest from a management point of view is the beaver (Castor fiber). It has become abundant, and causes damage to sylviculture and agriculture. It is the only game species that has been properly studied since the 1950s. There is a need for more studies on game fauna in Latvia, and for broad international co-operation, especially in the field of large carnivore research.
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