Covelo District project;
Predator, prey. Comparative study.
“Many thanks to MCBA’S members”
Thanks to our generous members, MCBA contributed $ 5,000.00 to Our Comparative research project that is underway as of late July this year. U.C. Davis science team, working in cooperation with Ca Dept. of Fish and game, MCBA, and Calif Deer Assoc .The team Captured several adult females on the National Forest this fawning season, along with several fawns in an effort to discover the factors explaining the decline in the public land B-Zone herds. The study is part of Mendocino County Black tail Assoc’s effort to improve the quality of deer management in the public lands. The adults were fitted with gps telemetry collars, and the fawns were fitted with GPS ear tags, which enables the scientists to monitor their movements, and track their survival rates.
The project is the first of its kind in order to better understand current negative factors, and manage Deer in public lands. The project will be capturing more adult deer this fall on private lands, and then in December of 09, we started capturing Mountain Lions, and monitoring their movements as well . All of this is to compare private lands , and public lands, and determine the various factors in both habitats and relationships, that affect deer negatively, and positively. This information is necessary to alter fish and game regulations, concerning Deer management.
Covelo summary
Mendocino Black-tailed Deer Study
Quarterly Report Summary
Study Goals and Current Status
The Mendocino Black-tailed Deer project is a collaborative effort
between the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and the University of California, Davis to investigate the factors limiting the black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) population in the Mendocino National Forest and surrounding private lands. The study is intended to provide information that is necessary for the management of black-tailed deer in the area.
Additional financial support for the study has been provided by the California Deer Association (CDA) and the Mendocino County Blacktail Association (MCBA).
The first phase of the study was initiated in June of 2009. Adult female deer were captured during June and August in variouslocations in the Mendocino National Forest and fitted with GPS collars. The locations from these collars will be used to identify wintering and fawning habitat, and to determine habitat selection and use. In late June and early July fawns were captured in high elevation summer range areas. Each fawn was weighed, measured, and fitted with a small radio ear tag. All fawns and adult female deer were monitored daily from June through September, and all mortalities were investigated and analyzed. Mortality analysis included using predation analysis protocols and collecting DNA samples to determine predator species.
During the winter adults and surviving fawns are monitored weekly. The cougar component of the study will also be initiated this winter, and a sample of cougars will be captured and fit with satellite GPS collars to determine cougar predation rates and diet.
This year the second phase of the study will begin. The second phase will include capturing and collaring adult females in lower elevation areas, capturing and monitoring fawns in both low and high elevation areas, assessing deer habitat quality, and conducting deer and predator relative abundance surveys.
Adult Mortality
Only 2 collared adult deer have died during the study so far. At this point in the study, adult females survival rates are typical of stable deer populations.
The cause of death is awaiting analysis of DNA evidence and bone marrow analysis. Bone marrow analysis and DNA evidence results will determine whether death was due to starvation, disease, or predation.
Fawn Mortality
Fawn mortality rates for the first season were within the normal range expected for deer populations. Twenty percent (20%) of fawns survived the summer months, and predation was a significant cause of death, although nutrition may have been a contributing factor. Researchers tentatively identified predator identity at the kill site, but these results are preliminary and awaiting confirmation by analysis of DNA samples. Researchers also collected marrow to analyze fawn body condition.
Rigorous handling protocols were followed to minimize all possible capture effects on fawns. Handling time was 5 minutes or less for each captured fawn, and precautions were taken to control human scent. Fawn mortalities were also analyzed to detect any effect of capture, such as abandonment by the mother or increased predation. If capture and handling had some effect more mortality should occur in the 2-3 days following capture than any other time. Fawn mortality was scattered with no apparent pattern, showing that capture did not have an effect
(see Figure1)
Further Updates
As the project continues we will send further updates on a quarterly basis.
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