We recently had the opportunity to present our work at Cinegética-SCI 2026, one of Europe’s leading events on hunting and wildlife management. It was an excellent setting to share ideas and discuss current challenges in conservation. The talk summarised the main findings of the SUPLEMENTO project, supported by CDTI-MICINN, focused on understanding the effects of supplemental feeding in roe deer. This is a widely used but controversial management practice, with important ecological implications.

Thanks to the collaboration with Thurma (https://piensosthurma.es/), we have gained new insights into both the benefits and risks of this practice. Supplemental feeding can support populations under certain conditions, but it may also increase disease transmission, alter natural behaviours, and create ecological imbalances. Our results highlight that supplemental feeding is not inherently good or bad. Its use must be carefully evaluated in each context, reinforcing the importance of evidence-based wildlife management.