100 stories from the hiking route

1965 – Vana-Vigala deer park once again populated with deer

Information

Topic

People and nature

Coordinates

Long-Lat WGS 84

Latitude: 58.7696557

Longitude: 24.2484700

L-EST 97

x: 6514485.0
y:

Location

Penijõe-Aegviidu Hiking route

Although thousands of years ago, the European red deer also roamed the territory of Estonia, the climate change forced this creature’s habitat further south.
Deer parks became fashionable in the 19th century and they were also established in the mansions in Estonia. Some deer would even escape the yard, but it was not enough to make a permanent and viable population at that time.
In 1963, a 38-hectare yard was created in the Vana-Vigala deer park and was first populated with eight roe deer. In the summer of 1964, a human-raised elk calf and some roe deer yeanlings were also taken to the deeryard. In 1965, 16 red deer were taken from the Voronezh reservation to Estonia and divided between three areas. Two males and six females were taken to the Vigala deeryard, four animals were taken to Abruka and three deer were set free in Loode forest Saaremaa.
Vigala deeryard had eight small mangers, one large manger-storage, and many salt licks. During winters, for some extra food, the deer were given grains, carrots, hay, aspen bark, rowan, apples, and salt. The deer were doing well in Vigala and their numbers increased quickly. In 1970–1975, 28 animals grown in the Vigala deer park population were taken to Hiiumaa. As the deer damaged the park’s trees, it was decided to free them in 1982.