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Abstract
The most endangered subspecies of pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus uruguayensis is an endemic cervidae of the Uruguayan temperate grasslands. The aim of our study was to assess the demographic trends, grouping structure and dynamic of this small and isolated population. We surveyed the population during seven years and detected an average of 117 (+ 72.7 SD) individuals (44 censuses). The average population structure observed was 55% adult females, 34% adult males, 10% juveniles, and 1% fawns, with a low recruitment rate of 0.11. The pampas deer is a gregarious cervidae with 62% of individuals being observed within groups of at least three animals. Nevertheless we observed substantial differences on group size and composition based on sex, reproductive status, season and trophic resources availability. The population dynamics showed significant changes around the year in the sexual aggregation-segregation pattern, corresponding with reproductive and physiological status. The mean density on this population (11 deer/ km2) is the highest reported for the species. Comparable data, from other populations, showed a significant correlation between density and sex ratio, with a reduction in the proportion of males with higher deer densities. An action plan for this endangered population should include initiatives involving private landowners, and guidelines to improve the deer habitat.
Highlights
The pampas deer, Ozotoceros bezoarticus (Linnaeus 1758), is an ungulate native to the open grassland habitats of South America, from 5° to 41°S (Cabrera, 1943, Jackson & Langguth, 1987, González et al, 2010)
The pampas deer have been deeply affected by habitat alteration and fragmentation, which are considered to be one of the main causes of the reduction and populations decline in the species’ range (González et al, 1998)
This process is clearly visible in Uruguay, which is home to two endemic subspecies: O. b. arerunguaensis, represented by a population of around 1000 individuals in El Tapado; and O. b. uruguayensis, with less than 350
Summary
The pampas deer, Ozotoceros bezoarticus (Linnaeus 1758), is an ungulate native to the open grassland habitats of South America, from 5° to 41°S (Cabrera, 1943, Jackson & Langguth, 1987, González et al, 2010). The pampas deer have been deeply affected by habitat alteration and fragmentation, which are considered to be one of the main causes of the reduction and populations decline in the species’ range (González et al, 1998). This process is clearly visible in Uruguay, which is home to two endemic subspecies: O. b. Group structure is shaped by feeding and anti-predatory strategies (Caughley, 1964). Group foraging generally entails costs and benefits for the individuals, associated with the presence of other individuals of the same species (Krause & Ruxton, 2002). Determining a population’s grouping strategy and its variation in different environments can provide information on various aspects, such as quality of the environment and hunting pressure (Morrison et al, 2006)
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