Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) kidney as a bioindicator of environmental pollution with heavy metals

Cd, Pb, Hg and As levels were measured in the viscera of 143 roe deer, shot inthe Salek valley and on the Pokljuka plateau in 1998. Our findings were as follows: 1) heavy metal levels (HML) do not differ between left and right kidney; 2)sex has no influence on HML; 3) an animal`s age has no influence on Pb, Hg and As levels; 4) a positive linear correlation between age and Cd level enables the assessment of an annual and even a daily accumulation rate, both of which may be very useful for spatial as well as temporal comparisons; 5) the season of shoting has a significant influence on Hg and Pb levels, which culminated in late summer and early autumn; 6) in the Salek Valley, levels of heavy metals (but As) decrease with distance from the Sostanj Thermal Power Plant; 7) HML on the Pokljuka plateau are significantly higher in comparison with the Salek Valley; 8) roe deer kidney-body weight index is not relevant bioindicator of heavy metal burdens in the environment.