Recent Studies of White-Tailed Deer in the Neotropics

Artificial water troughs have been implemented in the Calakmul region as a measure that contributes to the maintenance of wildlife populations during the drought season. The aim of this study was to estimate the use of artificial water troughs by three species of deer (Odocoileus virginianus, M. pandora, and Mazama temama) in the Maya Forest of Campeche in southeastern México. The study was carried out in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (CBR, in Spanish) in southeastern México. Seventy artificial water troughs were installed, most of them within the core areas of the CBR. Between December 2018 and August 2021, eight digital traps were placed in eight artificial water troughs to monitor the presence of deer. The Photographic Visit Index (PVI) was calculated, and the visit rates of each species were compared by sampling year for each monitoring station. Deer activity patterns were evaluated using circular statistics to assess whether there were differences between visiting times. Watson-Williams tests were performed during the different sampling months. The density of records was analyzed to identify the degree of overlap in the deer activity patterns. With a sampling effort of 4,672 nights/camera, we captured 477 records of O. virginianus, 229 of M. pandora, and three of M. temama using artificial water troughs in the CBR. Due to the scarce records of M. temama in water troughs, comparative analyses were performed only with the other two deer species. According to the PVI, in the case of O. virginianus, highly significant differences were found between the three sampling years (H = 12.575, df = 2, P < 0.001); similarly, M. pandora showed highly significant differences between sampling years (H = 9.29, df = 2, P = 0.001). Regarding activity patterns, O. virginianus is mainly diurnal, with peaks of activity in the early hours of the day (8:00 h to 9:00 h). M. pandora was also mainly diurnal, showing the highest peaks of activity in the early hours of the day and before dusk. O. virginianus and M. pandora regularly visit water troughs, and the presence of deer in water troughs responds to their need to drink water for thermoregulation. The activity pattern of deer was mainly diurnal; it is safer for both species to move during the day because predators were recorded constantly in the study area. The degree of overlap recorded between O. virginianus and M. pandora suggests that both species are active at the same times of the day.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of artificial water troughs by deer in the Maya forest, México

Contreras-Moreno,

Jesús-Espinosa,

Sánchez

et al. 2024

“…In México, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is one of the foremost managed species, especially in the north of the country, where it has been demonstrated that it can be a source of economically profitable exploitation, and with ample opportunities in tropical zones from the center and southeast México (Mandujano et al 2019). The importance of this species in México has caused it to be one of the most studied species of ungulates, with extensive information about their reproduction, habitat, foraging patterns, and behavior (Gallina-Tessaro et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The importance of water developments for white-tailed deer populations in México has been mostly studied in the north of the country (see Gallina-Tessaro et al 2019 for a review). However, in the south, there is little information about this subject.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Activity patterns and use of artificial water ponds by White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in western Campeche

Hidalgo-Mihart,

Jesús-de la Cruz,

Bravata-de la Cruz

et al. 2024

Artificial Water Ponds (AWP) are widely employed for preserving and managing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in arid, and tropical regions of Mexico. However, there is a significant knowledge gap concerning the impact of these AWP on white-tailed deer activity. To determine the effect of AWP on the ecological aspects of white-tailed deer, we assessed the visitation rates and activity patterns of this species in AWP and compared them with areas devoid of water such as Dirt Roads (DR) using camera traps during the dry season within the seasonal wetland region of Nicte Ha, situated in western Campeche, Mexico. The research was conducted in a highly seasonal tropical wetland area at the Nicte-Ha UMA in southwestern Campeche, México. We established set camera trap stations during the dry season of 2019, 2020, and 2021 in seven AWP and 12 DR that operated for at least 80 days and compared the white-tailed deer visitation rate (measured as the Relative Abundance Index, RAI) and activity patterns among both treatments and across the three studied years. We collected a total of 3,640 independent records of white-tailed deer (2,584 in AWP and 1,056 in DR) for three years, with a combined effort of 3,978 camera days (1,306 camera days in AWP and 2,672 in DR). Our analysis revealed that the Relative Abundance Index (RAI) was consistently higher in the AWP than the DR across the three study years. However, we examined RAI variations over the three years and observed differences in the AWP, while the DR exhibited a relatively stable pattern. In the case of the activity patterns, we observed that white-tailed deer were primarily diurnal, with a significant overlap in activity between the two treatment areas. Nonetheless, within the AWP, the species exhibited continuous daytime activity, whereas, in the PR, distinct activity peaks occurred during sunrise and sunset. The results show that the presence of AWP in Nicte Ha has important effects on the presence of white-tailed deer during the dry season since we observed that there is a higher RAI in the sites where there is AWP compared to the PR sites. In the case of activity patterns, the AWP sites maintain constant activity throughout the day compared to DR, where activity peaks associated with sunrise and sunset occur. Our results show the importance that this type of structure has for the management of the species during the dry season of the year in Nicte Ha and the potential benefits of these structures in tropical seasonal areas, especially under a scenario in which drought during the dry season may be more severe in the near future due to the global change.

“…Published books on this deer species have been generated in the northeast region dominated by semiarid scrubs lands (Villarreal-González 1999;Ramírez-Lozano 2004;Fulbright and Ortega-S. 2006), in temperate forests in the Sierra Madre Occidental in Durango (Folliot and Gal-lina 1981;Galindo-Leal and Weber 1997), the region of central México in the Mixteca Poblana (Villarreal-Espino 2006), and in Oaxaca (Mandujano 2016). Monographs have also been published on the natural history of this species in México and Latin America (Méndez 1984;Gallina et al 2010;Ortega-S. et al 2011;Mandujano et al 2014;Gallina et al 2019). In particular, a significant amount of information has been generated in protected natural areas (ANPs in Spanish), mainly Biosphere Reserves (Gallina et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeographic analysis of population density of white-tailed deer in Mexico: Importance of the Protected Natural Areas and Wildlife Management Units

Sandoval-Comte,

Mandujano,

González-Zamora

et al. 2024

The white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus is the wildlife species with the greatest geographic distribution and economic importance in Mexico. This article presents a biogeographic analysis of the population density of this deer species by federal states, vegetation types, biogeographic provinces, and field methods, based on 200 selected studies. Estimates are highly variable and potentially biased due to the different field designs and statistical analyses. The national average density was estimated at 6.9 deer/km2 (SD = 5.1); specifically, 75.5 % of the estimates were less than 10 deer/km2, and only 5.5 % were greater than 15 deer/km2. The highest densities were obtained in the northern region by applying the strip transect counts; while estimations using the fecal group count method were more variable and were the most used method in temperate and tropical dry forest regions. The states with the highest densities were Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Jalisco, Morelos, Michoacán, and Durango. The highest densities were estimated in the xerophilous scrublands of the northeast, intermediate for temperate, tropical dry, and sub-deciduous forests; and the lowest in the tropical wet forest. The highest densities were reported for the Tamaulipeca province followed by the Altiplano Chihuahuense, Sierra Madre Occidental, Costa Pacífica, and Depresión del Balsas. The results of this analysis could guide management strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of this species in extensive UMAs and ANPs, and also to test ecological hypotheses. However, applying more rigorous field design and statistical analysis is important to obtain confident estimates of population density and other demographic parameters to monitor population dynamics.