Seasonal pasture utilization by wild sika deer (Cervus nippon) in a sown grassland

Abstract

AbstractPasture utilization by wild sika deer (Cervus nippon) was investigated in a closed communal pasture in Nagano, Japan, in terms of seasonal changes in the aboveground plant biomass, herbage consumption and animal density (estimated by fecal pellet count method). Pasture utilization by deer varied greatly with season. Herbage consumption was high before and after the major hunting months (December–January) in winter and in summer. In fall, herbage consumption was low despite high aboveground plant biomass and deer density. Both herbage consumption and deer density tended to be low in the major hunting months and spring. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.71, P = 0.01) was observed between monthly deer density and aboveground plant biomass of the pasture. The results show that pasture utilization by deer was affected mainly by plant biomass and also by the nutritive quality of herbage, deer mating season and deer hunting. It is likely that the pasture was utilized by deer as a breeding site as well as a feeding site.