Deer Herds Research Articles

Energy development and hunter success for mule deer and pronghorn in Wyoming

ABSTRACTInfrastructure associated with energy development influences hunter access and introduces disturbance activities to landscapes that can influence habitat selection and behavior of ungulates. Consequently, habitat loss and hunter access concerns must be addressed by wildlife managers as they consider management of populations of western big game species including mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). We evaluated whether increased energy development, as quantified through change in well pad density, has affected hunter success of mule deer and pronghorn. Ungulates tend to avoid energy development; therefore, we also evaluated whether hunting statistics can be used to identify potential effects of energy development on mule deer and pronghorn. We included data from 22 of 39 mule deer and 34 of 46 pronghorn Herd Units across Wyoming, USA, from 1980 to 2012. On average, well pad densities across mule deer Herd Units increased from 0.01 km2in 1980 to 0.06 km2in 2012, and well pads in pronghorn Herd Units increased from 0.01 km2to 0.12 km2during the same period. Our results indicated that hunter success for mule deer in Wyoming was positively associated with hunter effort, whereas pronghorn hunter success was negatively associated with hunter effort. Hunter success for both species was unaffected by well pad density. We identified a change in mule deer and pronghorn harvest success associated with hunter numbers and effort; however, harvest statistics were not informative in identifying impacts from energy development on mule deer or pronghorn populations. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.

Improving the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in farmed deer

CONTROL of bovine tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium bovis presents a considerable challenge as this bacterium infects a wide host range. M bovis infection in farmed and wild deer is...

Control of bovine tuberculosis in a farmed red deer herd in England

This report describes how Mycobacterium bovis infection was controlled and eventually eradicated in a farmed red deer herd in the north of England, following sustained tuberculin skin testing supplemented with...

Unsettlers and Speculators

Considering that it was summertime, the weather in New England was puzzlingly cold. Nonetheless, the men in the seabeaten wooden ship offered thanks, in the Protestant fashion, for the bounty of fresh provisions: oysters and seals; vast herds of deer, tule elk, and pronghorn. Mutual curiosity informed their encounters with the people they met. The English admired their extraordinary basketwork, their shell ornaments, their headpieces of brilliant black condor feathers.If the bio- and ethnoscapes of this New England sketch seem a little off, it is because I have moved its longitudal coordinates west by fifty degrees and spun the time setting of an originary North American encounter back by several decades. The English sailors and supplicants were not Puritan separatists but the remainder of Sir Francis Drake's circumnavigation expedition, which made landfall along the Pacific coast—by most estimates, in northern California—in 1579. The story of their several weeks' stay there is speculative in many senses. The fortuitously named Golden Hind returned loaded with treasure; the marker that Drake supposedly placed near his landfall buttressed unfulfilled English territorial claims for many years after; and in our own day historians, anthropologists, and geographers both trained and untrained continue to debate the precise location of Nova Albion. This is the very stuff of which counterfactual histories and speculative historical fictions are made: what if other Englishmen had later returned with settlers and supplies? If the English colonial project along the North American Pacific had rooted itself earlier, and farther south than Vancouver, would its later pattern of settlement have pulsed west to east across the continent instead of east to west?

An outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in a fallow deer herd (Dama dama) in Sicily

Wild ruminants have an important role in the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). This study describes an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis occurring in a fallow deer herd in Sicily. In 2012 a Sicilian herd of 47 animals was referred for cachexia. Pathological examination of 2 dead animals revealed disseminated granulomas predominantly involving the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Tissue samples were submitted for histological analysis, bacteriological culture, and biomolecular assay. PCR analysis identified Mycobacterium strains. Genotyping by spoligotyping and MIRU-VNTR profiles identified Mycobacterium bovis spoligotype SB0120 in both animals. In 2014, bTB skin testing of 28 fallow deer from the same group was positive in 4 and inconclusive in another 4. All 8 positive/inconclusive reactors were euthanized. Disseminated granulomatous lesions were noted in 6 of these animals, 3 of which (2 positive and 1 negative to skin tests) also presented cutaneous lesions. M. bovis spoligotype SB0120 was identified from all animals in which tuberculous-like lesions were observed, including 2 negative reactors. Many of the animals involved in this outbreak presented diffuse skin lesions, a potential route of transmission of M. bovis infection. Given the epidemiological role wildlife play in the maintenance of bTB infection and its potential risk for humans, a comprehensive monitoring plan for this zoonosis in wildlife species in Sicily is needed.

Long-Term Dynamics of Coxiella burnetii in Farmed Red Deer (Cervus elaphus).

Several aspects of the dynamics of Coxiella burnetii that are relevant for the implementation of control strategies in ruminant herds with endemic Q fever are unknown. We designed a longitudinal study to monitor the dynamics of exposure to C. burnetii in a red deer herd with endemic infection in order to allow the design of Q fever-specific control approaches. Other relevant aspects of the dynamics of C. burnetii – the effect of herd immune status, age, season, and early infection on exposure, the average half-life of antibodies, the presence and duration of maternal humoral immunity, and the age of first exposure – were analyzed. The dynamics of C. burnetii in deer herds seems to be modulated by host herd and host individual factors and by particular host life-history traits. Red deer females become exposed to C. burnetii at the beginning of their second year since maternal antibodies protect them after birth and during the main pathogen shedding season – at the end of spring-early summer. Infection pressure varies between years, probably associated with herd immunity effects, determining inter-annual variation in the risk of exposure. These results suggest that any strategy applied to control C. burnetii in deer herds should be designed to induce immunity in their first year of life immediately after losing maternal antibodies. The short average life of C. burnetii antibodies suggests that any protection based on humoral immunity would require re-vaccination every 6 months.

Occurrence of antibodies anti -Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Leptospira interrogans in a captive deer herd in Southern Brazil.

A large number of Brazilian zoos keep many endangered species of deer, however, very few disease surveillance studies have been conducted among captive cervids. Blood samples from 32 Brazilian deer (Blastocerus dichotomus, Mazama nana and Mazama americana) kept in captivity at Bela Vista Biological Sanctuary (Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil) were investigated for 10 ruminant pathogens, with the aims of monitoring deer health status and evaluating any potential zoonotic risk. Deer serum samples were tested for Brucella abortus, Leptospira (23 serovars), Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, bovine viral diarrhea virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus, western equine encephalitis virus, eastern equine encephalitis virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Antibodies against T. gondii (15.6%), N. caninum (6.2%) and L. interrogans serogroup Serjoe (3.1%) were detected. The serological results for all other infectious agents were negative. The deer were considered to be clinically healthy and asymptomatic regarding any disease. Compared with studies on free-ranging deer, the prevalences of the same agents tested among the captive deer kept at the Sanctuary were lower, thus indicating good sanitary conditions and high-quality management practices at the zoo.

Review of the 2012 Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Outbreak in Domestic Ruminants in the United States.

An unusually large number of cases of Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) were observed in United States cattle and white-tailed deer in the summer and fall of 2012. USDA APHIS Veterinary Services area offices were asked to report on foreign animal disease investigations and state diagnostic laboratory submissions which resulted in a diagnosis of EHD based on positive PCR results. EHD was reported in the following species: cattle (129 herds), captive white-tailed deer (65 herds), bison (8 herds), yak (6 herds), elk (1 herd), and sheep (1 flock). A majority of the cases in cattle and bison were found in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa. The majority of cases in captive white-tailed deer were found in Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri. The most common clinical sign observed in the cattle and bison herds was oral lesions. The major observation in captive white-tailed deer herds was death. Average within-herd morbidity was 7% in cattle and bison herds, and 46% in captive white-tailed deer herds. The average within-herd mortality in captive white-tailed deer herds was 42%.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in domestic sika deer in China.

Paratuberculosis or Johne's disease (JD), caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic infectious granulomatous enteritis of ruminants and other animals, which has a worldwide occurrence, but little is known of MAP infection in domestic sika deer in Jilin Province, China. The objective of the present investigation was to examine seroprevalence and risk factors of MAP infection in Jilin Province. Serum samples collected from 1400 sika deer from 16 sika deer herds were collected in the 4 districts of the province between May 2013 and August 2014 and were tested independently for the presence of antibodies against MAP. A total of 247 (17.64%) sika deer tested positive for MAP antibodies using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay kit. The management level of farm and collecting region of sika deer was the main risk factor associated with MAP infection. The present study revealed the seroprevalence of MAP infection in sika deer in Jilin Province, China, which provided the baseline data for taking comprehensive countermeasures and measures in effectively preventing and controlling MAP infection in sika deer.

Epidemiology, diagnostics, and management of tuberculosis in domestic cattle and deer in New Zealand in the face of a wildlife reservoir

The control of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle and farmed deer in New Zealand has been greatly influenced by the existence of a wildlife reservoir of Mycobacterium bovis infection, principally the Australian brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). The reduction in possum numbers in areas with endemic M. bovis infection through vigorous vector control operations has been a major contributor to the marked reduction in the number of infected cattle and farmed deer herds in the past two decades. Management of TB in cattle and farmed deer in New Zealand has involved a combination of vector control, regionalisation of diagnostic testing of cattle and deer herds, abattoir surveillance and movement control from vector risk areas. Accurate diagnosis of infected cattle and deer has been a crucial component in the control programme. As the control programme has evolved, test requirements have changed and new tests have been introduced or test interpretations modified. Subspecific strain typing of M. bovis isolates has proved to be a valuable component in the epidemiological investigation of herd breakdowns to identify whether the source of infection was domestic livestock or wildlife. New initiatives will include the use of improved models for analysing diagnostic test data and characterising disease outbreaks leading to faster elimination of infection from herds. The introduction of the National Animal Identification Tracing programme will allow better risk profiling of individual herds and more reliable tracing of animal movements. TB in cattle and farmed deer in New Zealand can only be controlled by eliminating the disease in both domestic livestock and the wildlife reservoir.

Density dependence in mule deer: a review of evidence

Wildlife managers often need tangible evidence of density dependence in populations to support decision making. Field experimentation to identify density dependent effects is often cost and time prohibitive. Thus, assimilation of existing knowledge into a balance of probabilities can serve as a surrogate for experimental research. A case study of such a process is found in the mule deer Odocoileus hemionus herds of Colorado. Wildlife managers and hunters expressed concern over a recent decline in western Colorado mule deer herds, yet the underlying cause of this decline is yet to be determined. In response to this management concern, we conducted a review of scientific evidence on Colorado's mule deer population dynamics. This review was done in the context of a conceptual model that portrays population growth as a function of population size, per capita growth rate and population carrying capacity. Similar declines that occurred during the 1960s and early 1990s resulted in similar reviews that identified research and management topics that would benefit mule deer. These topics included: harvest, predation, intraspecific competition, disease, interspecific competition, and habitat loss and degradation. Between the late 1990s and present time, many of these topics were addressed by research. The conventional working hypothesis in Colorado is that mule deer herds are limited by winter range habitat. We identify new gaps in knowledge and suggest potential, future research topics, as well as potential management strategies. We suggest a focus on integrated studies of multiple herbivores with density reduction experiments to address intra‐ and inter‐ specific competition. In addition, we suggest focused experiments that address the roles of mountain lion predation, black bear predation, and disease in mule deer population dynamics.

Estimation of flock/herd-level true Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis prevalence on sheep, beef cattle and deer farms in New Zealand using a novel Bayesian model

The study aimed to estimate the national- and island-level flock/herd true prevalence (HTP) of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in pastoral farmed sheep, beef cattle and deer in New Zealand. A random sample of 238 single- or multi-species farms was selected from a postal surveyed population of 1940 farms. The sample included 162 sheep flocks, 116 beef cattle and 99 deer herds from seven of 16 geographical regions. Twenty animals from each species present on farm were randomly selected for blood and faecal sampling. Pooled faecal culture testing was conducted using a single pool (sheep flocks) or two pools (beef cattle/deer herds) of 20 and 10 samples per pool, respectively. To increase flock/herd-level sensitivity, sera from all 20 animals from culture negative flocks/herds were individually tested by Pourquier® ELISA (sheep and cattle) or Paralisa™ (deer). Results were adjusted for sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests using a novel Bayesian latent class model. Outcomes were adjusted by their sampling fractions to obtain HTP estimates at national level. For each species, the posterior probability (POPR) of HTP differences between New Zealand North (NI) and South (SI) Islands was obtained.Across all species, 69% of farms had at least one species test positive. Sheep flocks had the highest HTP estimate (76%, posterior probability interval (PPI) 70–81%), followed by deer (46%, PPI 38–55%) and beef herds (42%, PPI 35–50%). Differences were observed between the two main islands of New Zealand, with higher HTP in sheep and beef cattle flocks/herds in the NI. Sheep flock HTP was 80% in the NI compared with 70% (POPR=0.96) in the SI, while the HTP for beef cattle was 44% in the NI and 38% in the SI (POPR=0.80). Conversely, deer HTP was higher in the SI (54%) than the NI (33%, POPR=0.99). Infection with MAP is endemic at high prevalence in sheep, beef cattle and deer flocks/herds across New Zealand.

Isolation and characterization of Babesia pecorum sp. nov. from farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus).

The diversity of Babesia species infecting cervids in parts of central and southern Spain was analyzed by collecting blood from farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Babesia sp. was isolated in vitro from two red deer herds in Cádiz and Ciudad Real. The number of Babesia sp. carriers differed between the two herds: 36/77 in Cádiz and 1/35 in Ciudad Real. Hyalomma lusitanicum was the most prevalent tick species identified on the Cádiz farm vegetation and on sampled animals, and is therefore a candidate vector. The molecular characteristics of 21 isolates were determined by complete (8 isolates) or partial (13 isolates) 18S rRNA gene sequencing. The sequences were highly similar (over 99.4% identity) and 6 sequence types were identified at the level of one herd only, demonstrating a rather high genetic diversity. They formed a monophyletic clade, and members of the three main sequence types shared a similar morphology and the same erythrocyte susceptibility pattern. This clade also included Babesia sp. Xinjiang isolated from sheep in China and Babesia sp. identified in giraffe in South Africa, with identities higher than 98.3% and statistically relevant phylogenetic support. None of the biological properties analyzed for both Babesia from red deer and Babesia sp. Xinjiang allowed their differentiation (ability to develop in vitro in erythrocytes from cattle and sheep, as well as in erythrocytes from different cervids, unsuccessful infection of calves). We propose the Babesia isolated from red deer as a new species named B. pecorum. Whether Babesia sp. Xinjiang and the Babesia characterized in South Africa belong to the same species is debated.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-014-0078-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Orchid (Orchidaceae) decline in the Catoctin Mountains, Frederick County, Maryland as documented by a long-term dataset

A 41-year study (1968–2008) of the orchids of the Catoctin Mountains, Frederick County, Maryland reveals that 19 of 21 species have experienced precipitous declines. Four of these species are currently considered Threatened or Endangered by the State of Maryland and another two are considered Rare. Annual census data at 167 sites from throughout the Catoctin Mountains on protected and unprotected lands (private and public) show a loss of three species from the study area, a decline of >90 % (ranging from 99 to 91 %) in seven species, and a decline of <90 % (ranging from 51 to 87 %) for nine species. Each species was analyzed using Ordinary Least Squares Analysis to show trends and document corresponding R2 and p values. We tested the hypothesis that this decline is due to intensified herbivory by white-tailed deer. The overall orchid census data is significantly inversely-correlated (R = −0.93) to the white-tailed deer harvest data of Frederick County (a surrogate for population size), which includes the entirety of the study area. Platanthera ciliaris showed a huge expansion at a single site explicitly managed for this species otherwise this orchid showed a decline similar to the other species. Proper management is critical for the continuation of the orchid species in this study, be it control of the white-tailed deer herd or combating woody plant succession in the case of P. ciliaris.

Recurrent bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand cattle and deer herds, 2006-2010.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify risk factors for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) recurrence in New Zealand cattle and deer herds identified as bTB-infected from 1 June 2006 to 1 November 2010. A Cox proportional hazards model identified a positive relationship between the daily hazard of bTB recurrence and: (1) the number of prior bTB episodes for two episodes [hazard ratio (HR) 3·22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·21-8·60], and for five episodes (HR 89·5, 95% CI 13·8-580), (2) more than one positive bTB case animal at the index episode (HR 2·25, 95% CI 1·19-4·25) and (3) the presence of cleared test-positives at the final test of the index episode. The proportional hazards assumption was violated for the latter variable so a time-dependent covariate was introduced. Up to 2 years post-clearance, the daily hazard of bTB recurrence was greater in herds with test-positives at the final test (HR 2·59, 95% CI 1·30-5·13), but this effect was not observed more than 2 years' post-clearance (HR 1·05, 95% CI 0·28-3·91). We conclude that unresolved infection contributes to further bTB episodes in the first 2 years after herd clearance.

Linking bovine tuberculosis on cattle farms to white-tailed deer and environmental variables using Bayesian hierarchical analysis.

Bovine tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis in livestock and wildlife with hosts that include Eurasian badgers (Meles meles), brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Risk-assessment efforts in Michigan have been initiated on farms to minimize interactions of cattle with wildlife hosts but research on M. bovis on cattle farms has not investigated the spatial context of disease epidemiology. To incorporate spatially explicit data, initial likelihood of infection probabilities for cattle farms tested for M. bovis, prevalence of M. bovis in white-tailed deer, deer density, and environmental variables for each farm were modeled in a Bayesian hierarchical framework. We used geo-referenced locations of 762 cattle farms that have been tested for M. bovis, white-tailed deer prevalence, and several environmental variables that may lead to long-term survival and viability of M. bovis on farms and surrounding habitats (i.e., soil type, habitat type). Bayesian hierarchical analyses identified deer prevalence and proportion of sandy soil within our sampling grid as the most supported model. Analysis of cattle farms tested for M. bovis identified that for every 1% increase in sandy soil resulted in an increase in odds of infection by 4%. Our analysis revealed that the influence of prevalence of M. bovis in white-tailed deer was still a concern even after considerable efforts to prevent cattle interactions with white-tailed deer through on-farm mitigation and reduction in the deer population. Cattle farms test positive for M. bovis annually in our study area suggesting that the potential for an environmental source either on farms or in the surrounding landscape may contributing to new or re-infections with M. bovis. Our research provides an initial assessment of potential environmental factors that could be incorporated into additional modeling efforts as more knowledge of deer herd factors and cattle farm prevalence is documented.

Can dung beetles from the palaeoecological and archaeological record indicate herd concentration and the identity of herbivores?

We present the results from two analogue studies that examine two aspects of dung beetle populations. Firstly, the degree to which the proportions of dung beetles in terrestrial faunas may reflect herd concentration is assessed by comparing modern sub-fossil faunas retrieved from a range of small ponds at Dunham Massey, Cheshire and Epping Forest in London. These studies suggest that it may be possible to use the proportions of ‘dung beetles’ recovered to differentiate high from low density grazing pressures in the palaeoentomological and archaeoentomological record.A second study examines the insect faunas recovered from modern samples of dung from a range of bovids, cervids, suids and equids, chosen to replicate, as closely as possible, Pleistocene taxa. These include the famous Chillingham cattle herd from Northumberland and herds of red deer, wild boar and Konik horses from Kent. When the numbers of individuals and the nature and range of beetles in the whole fauna are considered, it may be possible to differentiate between the dung of a range of different animals. A number of limitations with the present study, their implications and the future potential of this type of study are outlined.

Toxicodynamic modeling of 137Cs to estimate white-tailed deer background levels for the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site

The U.S. Department of Energy's (USDOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) is a former nuclear weapon material production and current research facility adjacent to the Savannah River in South Carolina, USA. The purpose of this study was to determine the background radiocesium ((137)Cs) body burden (e.g., from global fallout) for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) inhabiting the SRS. To differentiate what the background burden is for the SRS versus (137)Cs obtained from SRS nuclear activities, data were analyzed spatially, temporally and compared to other off-site hunting areas near the SRS. The specific objectives of this study were: to compare SRS and offsite deer herds based on time and space; to interpret comparisons based on how data were collected as well as the effect of environmental and anthropogenic influences; to determine what the ecological half-life/decay rate is for (137)Cs in the SRS deer herd; and to give a recommendation to what should be considered the background (137)Cs level in the SRS deer herd. Based on the available information and analyses, it is recommended that the determination of what is considered background for the SRS deer herd be derived from data collected from the SRS deer herd itself and not offsite collections for a variety of reasons. Offsite data show extreme variability most likely due to environmental factors such as soil type and land-use patterns (e.g., forest, agriculture, residential activities). This can be seen from results where samples from offsite military bases (Fort Jackson and Fort Stewart) without anthropogenic (137)Cs sources were much higher than both the SRS and a nearby (Sandhills) study site. Moreover, deer from private hunting grounds have the potential to be baited with corn, thus artificially lowering their (137)Cs body burdens compared to other free-ranging deer. Additionally, sample size for offsite collections were not robust enough to calculate a temporal decay curve with an upper confidence level to determine if the herds are following predicted radioactive decay rates like the SRS or if the variability is due to those points described above. Using mean yearly values, the ecological half-life for (137)Cs body burdens for SRS white-tailed deer was determined to be 28.79 years--very close to the 30.2 years physical half-life.

Management and control of an outbreak of fatal truamatic myiasis due to Chrysomya bezziana in a herd of Persian Fallow Deer (Dama dama mesopotamica)

Cutaneous myiasis caused by the Chrysomya bezziana in Asian and African countries is common in wild and domestic mammals. A herd of Persian fallow deer (n=80, consisting of adult and young male and female animals) with an average age range of 3 months to 6 years was viewed. Observed were 40 deaths putting the heard near to extinction. The animals were found with traumatic cutaneous wounds mostly in one ear, the eyes and head as well as the ventral part of the neck. The ears were necrotised and could no longer remain upright; the wounds were full of maggots of different sizes and stages of development. Based on morphological features, the collected larvae were examined by a central Khuzestan veterinary laboratory and identified as C. bezziana larvae. This is the first ever occurrence of C. bezziana that caused such a population reduction of these wonderful animals in a herd of Persian fallow deer held under the supervision of Iranian Nature Preservation Organization and kept at Helveh Park in Shush county (East-South of Iran) where original ecology and its treatment and control of myiasis have been discussed. This paper is apparently the first report of an infestation of cutaneous myiasis due to C. bezziana in Persian fallow deer. Also we report high infestation Rhipicephalus microplus as an important ectoparasite of these Persian fallow deer that has been never discussed before.

Isolation and characterization of

The diversity of Babesia species infecting cervids in parts of central and southern Spain was analyzed by collecting blood from farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Babesia sp. was isolated in vitro from two red deer herds in Cádiz and Ciudad Real. The number of Babesia sp. carriers differed between the two herds: 36/77 in Cádiz and 1/35 in Ciudad Real. Hyalomma lusitanicum was the most prevalent tick species identified on the Cádiz farm vegetation and on sampled animals, and is therefore a candidate vector. The molecular characteristics of 21 isolates were determined by complete (8 isolates) or partial (13 isolates) 18S rRNA gene sequencing. The sequences were highly similar (over 99.4% identity) and 6 sequence types were identified at the level of one herd only, demonstrating a rather high genetic diversity. They formed a monophyletic clade, and members of the three main sequence types shared a similar morphology and the same erythrocyte susceptibility pattern. This clade also included Babesia sp. Xinjiang isolated from sheep in China and Babesia sp. identified in giraffe in South Africa, with identities higher than 98.3% and statistically relevant phylogenetic support. None of the biological properties analyzed for both Babesia from red deer and Babesia sp. Xinjiang allowed their differentiation (ability to develop in vitro in erythrocytes from cattle and sheep, as well as in erythrocytes from different cervids, unsuccessful infection of calves). We propose the Babesia isolated from red deer as a new species named B. pecorum. Whether Babesia sp. Xinjiang and the Babesia characterized in South Africa belong to the same species is debated.