Resumo

BELLO, Joaquín; GALLINA, Sonia  e  EQUIHUA, Miguel. Movements of the white-tailed deer and their relationship with precipitation in northeastern Mexico. INCI [online]. 2004, vol.29, n.7, pp.357-361. ISSN 0378-1844.

Better management strategies can be designed through the medium and long-term evaluation of how inter- and intra-annual variations in environmental conditions affect deer behavior. The relationship between home range size and distances traveled by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus texanus) and precipitation were analyzed, both in terms of distribution and quantity, in the San Francisco Ranch, Northeastern Mexico. Possible differences between seasons, sexes and years were evaluated. The study area has a surface of 1000ha and high water availability (3.4 troughs/km²). Home range size and distances traveled were estimated during three biological seasons: reproductive, post-reproductive and fawning, over a period of four years (Sept 1994 to Aug 1998). Home range size was largest in 1997 (258± 18ha), when the highest precipitation was registered. Differences in home range size were found between sexes, it being larger for males (234± 14ha) than for females (193± 13ha). In 1998, the home range was larger in the fawning season than in the reproductive season because of a rain delay. The average total distance traveled daily was longest in 1997 (7016 ±354m). In the same year, the longest distance traveled was during the fawning season (8300 ±640m). When precipitation increased, an increase was found in the daily distance traveled. The high variability in monthly and annual precipitation factors that directly influenced food availability and water requirements, despite the high water management program, may explain changes in deer movements between years.

Palavras-chave : Home Range; Odocoileus virginianus; Precipitation; Water Management.