WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus) POPULATION STUDY AT THE "KAXEK" WILDLIFE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT UNIT, YUCATAN, MEXICO

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.813532508052

• Palavras-chave: acahual, habitat quality, population density, pasture, forest, white-tailed deer.

• Keywords: acahual, habitat quality, population density, pasture, forest, white-tailed deer.

• Abstract:

  The objective was to estimate the population density of deer and evaluate the habitat quality of five different types, in the Management Unit for Wildlife Conservation "Kaxek" in the municipality of Buctzotz, state of Yucatan, Mexico, during the months of March and April 2017. From satellite images of the "Kaxek" property, we proceeded to geoposition linear transects, nine were installed in situ, with a length of 1000 m each, randomly selected. Along each transect, circular plots were placed to record the number of droppings per plot, and deer tracks were recorded along each transect. The deer population estimation was carried out using the Eberhardt and Van Etten model, and the Tyson model was used to estimate the density of deer tracks. Habitat assessment was carried out using the Habitat Unit Quality Index (HQI) model for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The mean population estimate by excreta count was 63.7 deer/km(2) , themean population density per track was 2.46 deer/km2. The ICUH was low in pasture habitat and medium in two types of forest and two types of acahual or secondary successional forest. It was concluded that the population density of deer is similar to other studies in forest habitats, and the habitat quality, especially the forest and acahual, presented the attributes to maintain these populations.