Predator-avoidance behaviors of white-tailed deer that favor fawn survival

Huegel, Craig N.

doi:10.31274/rtd-180813-5569

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 8 publications

(7 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…We examined the influence of multispecies risk on diel activity of white‐tailed deer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, during July–September when fawns are 1–4 months old. White‐tailed deer fawns spend much of their time bedded in hiding until about 12 weeks old (Huegel, 1985 ), with mothers usually remaining near their fawns and making frequent visits to provide care and nurse fawns (Ozoga et al, 1982 ). However, non‐breeding adult females (e.g., 1‐year‐old deer; Ozoga, 1987 ) and those losing fawns soon after birth (Kautz et al, 2019 ) may behave similarly to adult male deer, which provide no parental care.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

White‐tailed deer exploit temporal refuge from multi‐predator and human risks on roads

Kautz

Fowler

Petroelje

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although most prey have multiple predator species, few studies have quantified how prey respond to the temporal niches of multiple predators which pose different levels of danger. For example, intraspecific variation in diel activity allows white‐tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) to reduce fawn activity overlap with coyotes (Canis latrans ) but finding safe times of day may be more difficult for fawns in a multi‐predator context. We hypothesized that within a multi‐predator system, deer would allocate antipredation behavior optimally based on combined mortality risk from multiple sources, which would vary depending on fawn presence. We measured cause‐specific mortality of 777 adult (>1‐year‐old) and juvenile (1–4‐month‐old) deer and used 300 remote cameras to estimate the activity of deer, humans, and predators including American black bears ( Ursus americanus ), bobcats ( Lynx rufus ), coyotes, and wolves ( Canis lupus ). Predation and vehicle collisions accounted for 5.3 times greater mortality in juveniles (16% mortality from bears, coyotes, bobcats, wolves, and vehicles) compared with adults (3% mortality from coyotes, wolves, and vehicles). Deer nursery groups (i.e., ≥1 fawn present) were more diurnal than adult deer without fawns, causing fawns to have 24–38% less overlap with carnivores and 39% greater overlap with humans. Supporting our hypothesis, deer nursery groups appeared to optimize diel activity to minimize combined mortality risk. Temporal refuge for fawns was likely the result of carnivores avoiding humans, simplifying diel risk of five species into a trade‐off between diurnal humans and nocturnal carnivores. Functional redundancy among multiple predators with shared behaviors may partially explain why white‐tailed deer fawn predation rates are often similar among single‐ and multi‐predator systems.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

White‐tailed deer exploit temporal refuge from multi‐predator and human risks on roads

Kautz

Fowler

Petroelje

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Early Mother-Young Relations in White-Tailed Deer

Schwede

Hendrichs

Wemmer

1994

Journal of Mammalogy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

During 1986-1988, mother-young relations in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied at the National Zoological Park's Conservation and Research Center. During the first few we~ks after parturition, mothers associated very little with their fawns and periods of contact were brief; they visited their fawns predominantly at sunrise and sunset. Later, fawns were visited randomly, and time of contacts and length of time between successive contacts became variable. Mothers kept the shortest distances during the first 2 weeks; distances then increased and remained constant. Up to 4 weeks of age, distances were shortest at night, but later, mothers were located farthest from their fawns during this time. Mother-young distances during times of reiInion also increased with age. Behavioral differences between sexes began to unfold in mother-young relationships as early as 3 weeks after birth and persisted throughout the first 3 months. Males associated less and more loosely with their mothers than females.

show abstract

Predator-avoidance behaviors of white-tailed deer that favor fawn survival

Cited by 2 publications

References 8 publications

White‐tailed deer exploit temporal refuge from multi‐predator and human risks on roads

White‐tailed deer exploit temporal refuge from multi‐predator and human risks on roads

Early Mother-Young Relations in White-Tailed Deer

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About