Competition and coexistence in a multi-species grazing system

In the New Forest area of southern England (approximately 37,500 hectares of mixed vegetation) populations of red deer, sika deer, fallow and roe live in sympatry with large numbers of free ranging domestic cattle and ponies. This paper examines patterns of habitat use, activity and diet of the five most abundant species (cattle, ponies, fallow, skia and roe) are presents a formal analysis of niche overlap between the various large herbivores.