Andrew J. Bengsen, Sebastien Comte, Lee Parker, David M. Forsyth, Jordan O. Hampton
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Context
Aerial shooting is an important tool for managing the economic and environmental impacts of widespread wild fallow deer populations in eastern Australia and could be crucial for mounting an effective response to an emergency animal disease incursion. However, there is a concern that the disturbance caused by aerial shooting could cause infected animals to disperse, thereby transmitting pathogens to previously uninfected areas.
Aims
We sought to describe the nature and extent of spatial behavioural changes in fallow deer exposed to aerial shooting to: (1) assess the risk that aerial shooting poses to disease spread, and (2) better understand how aerial shooting can contribute to routine deer management programs.
Methods
We contrasted movement rates, activity range areas, and daily activity patterns of 48 GPS-collared fallow deer before, during and after exposure to aerial shooting at three sites in New South Wales.
Key results
No collared deer left its pre-shoot activity range area during shooting or within 30 days after shooting finished. Observed behaviour changes included increased daily and hourly distance travelled by female deer during and after shooting, increased activity range areas for female deer after shooting, and increased nocturnal activity in female and male deer during shooting. However, observed changes were minor, temporary, localised, and variable among sites.
Conclusions
Collared deer showed strong site fidelity despite repeated intense disturbance and substantial population reductions. We found no evidence to support concerns that aerial shooting poses a hazard of disease spread.
Implications
Aerial shooting should be retained as a key control tool for managing wild fallow deer populations in Australia, including for reducing disease host population densities in the event of an emergency animal disease incursion.
期刊介绍：
Wildlife Research represents an international forum for the publication of research and debate on the ecology, management and conservation of wild animals in natural and modified habitats. The journal combines basic research in wildlife ecology with advances in science-based management practice. Subject areas include: applied ecology; conservation biology; ecosystem management; management of over-abundant, pest and invasive species; global change and wildlife management; diseases and their impacts on wildlife populations; human dimensions of management and conservation; assessing management outcomes; and the implications of wildlife research for policy development. Readers can expect a range of papers covering well-structured field studies, manipulative experiments, and analytical and modelling studies. All articles aim to improve the practice of wildlife management and contribute conceptual advances to our knowledge and understanding of wildlife ecology.
Wildlife Research is a vital resource for wildlife scientists, students and managers, applied ecologists, conservation biologists, environmental consultants and NGOs and government policy advisors.
Wildlife Research is published with the endorsement of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Australian Academy of Science.
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