The Myth of Deer on Brijuni
Wenyan Li

The island of Veliki Brijun, part of Brijuni National Park, has been home to axis deer since 1911. They were imported from Germany by hunter and animal trader Carl Hagenbeck at the behest of Kupelwieser, the owner of the archipelago at the time. Veliki Brijun was chosen as an ideal location for an acclimatization station for exotic animals due to its perfect microclimate before they were sent to the European continent. Another purpose of importing exotic animals was to fulfill Kupelwieser’s vision of creating a paradise-like island and attracting European elites for leisure. Together with European hare, European mouflon, peacocks, chital, and fallow deer, axis deer have adapted well to this wild-like and naturalistic environment thanks to the favourable climate.

In 1953, Yugoslavian president Marshal Josip Broz Tito made the Brijuni Islands his personal State Summer Residence. He received many exotic animals from other non- aligned movement leaders as diplomatic gifts, such as llamas, an Asian elephant, and plains zebras. Nowadays, these animals live together with autochthonous Istrian species on the northern edge of Veliki Brijun in an enclosed area stretching over 9 hectares.

Since Brijuni became a national park in 1983, animals have become one of the main attractions for tourists. Currently, 19 animal keepers and biologists care for the fauna in both the safari park and the free-roaming areas. A symbiotic relationship has long been established between humans and animals: animal keepers attend to the animals’ needs and help prevent diseases, while the animals provide the island’s paradise-like image and reduce the need for mowing the grasslands.

Due to the favourable climate and the lack of natural predators, the free-roaming animals reproduce rapidly, leading to overpopulation. However, the island’s animal keepers are diligently working to maintain the health of the fauna and control the population. A ten-year program to monitor and manage the population is underway, with animal keepers conducting annual or biannual counts of species density to estimate their carrying capacity and prevent ecosystem overload.

In my video, I will examine how the overpopulation of free-roaming animals taking example of axis deer impacts the island’s landscape and explore the reciprocal relationship between humans and animals on the island. Finally, I will address the extent of human intervention necessary to maintain the ecosystem’s balance on the archipelago.