Summary: | 碩士 === 國立屏東科技大學 === 野生動物保育研究所 === 106 === The herd composition of Cervids is influenced by breeding cycle, and therefore differs in month. Formosan sika deer (Cervus nippon taiouanus) had been re-introduced by Kenting National Park since 1984. A stable wild population has been formed. The present study recorded, the first time in the history, their monthly herd composition change under natural condition and discussed its relation with breeding cycle. Drone was used to record the deer herd composition in the Shuiwaku area (grassland habitat) from October 2016 to March 2018. Fawn-doe ratio and young-doe ratio based on data collected, during the same period, by camera trappers in the Nature Reserve of Uplifted Coral Reef (forest habitat), by another research team, were also analyzed. The results from the drone filming show that there is no difference in average group size (≧2 individuals) among different months. However, the herd composition is significantly difference between the peak of rutting season (October-December) and the rest of the year. Males in single are most likely to exist during October to December (75.5-90.3%) in all male groups observed). For the mixed group, the composition were clearly male-bias (61.7%-74.1%) from April to August, while they were female-bias (68.0-75.3%) from October to December. These seasonal changes match the timing of mating and birth season. The fawn-doe ratio on grassland habitat in October were 51.5% in 2016 and 63.7% in 2017. The young ratio of 1 year and 2 years old young to doe in July were 44.2% and 30.8% respectively. The fawn-doe ratio (in November) in the forest habitat were 66.5% in both 2016 and 2017. The young-doe ratio of 1 year and 2 years old young in July were 45.1% and 33.8% respectively. These population parameters for the re-introduced sika deer population in Kenting should be helpful in predicting the future development of the population.
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