Regulación de una población de ciervos limitada por suplemento alimentario

FLUCK, WT; SMITH-FLUECK, JM

Mendoza, Argentina

Jornada; 7̊ Jornadas Argentinas de Mastozoología; 1991

A population of 8-10'000 black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) was studied between 1984 and 1988 in California, USA. Logging activities has created optimal habitat structure in their summer range. Hunting is restricted to adult males and removes a minimal 5% of the population. A major die-off (=population crash) was observed among females during the summer of 1987. Hunting records of males and herd composition data of the previous 20 years indicated that 47% of adult females died in the summer of 1987. Similarly, summer mortality of radio marked female averaged 9% between 1984 and 1986, but increased to 41% in 1987. Average age of radio marked females which died was 14 years while females killed in 1988 averaged 4,6 years. Adult females in general were found to be in very poor physical condition by autumn when their condition should be at the yearly maximum. The level of plant utilization was very high and resulted in severe damage to the forest community. It is likely that this herd will periodically experience similar crashes due to a lack of adequate population control through predation including hunting.