Study

Reintroduction and recovery of Père David's deer in China

  • Published source details Jiang Z., Yu C., Feng Z., Zhang L., Xia J., Ding Y. & Lindsay N. (2000) Reintroduction and recovery of Père David's deer in China. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 28, 681-687.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Release translocated mammals into fenced areas

Action Link
Terrestrial Mammal Conservation

Provide supplementary food during/after release of captive-bred mammals

Action Link
Terrestrial Mammal Conservation
  1. Release translocated mammals into fenced areas

    A study in 1993-1997 in a grassland reserve in Hubei province, China (Jiang et al. 2000) found that translocated Père David's deer Elaphurus davidianus released into a fenced area survived at least two years and bred. Père David's deer survived at least two years after being translocated and reproduced in the second year following relocation (numbers not provided). Deer were released in 1993 (30 individuals), 1994 (34 individuals) and 1995 (74 individuals) into a 16 km2 paddock. The origin of some of the deer is unclear, but most were wild-born offspring from captive-bred animals that had been released into another reserve in China.

    (Summarised by: Ricardo Rocha)

  2. Provide supplementary food during/after release of captive-bred mammals

    A replicated study in 1985–1997 in two grassland reserves in Jiangsu and Beijing, China (Jiang et al. 2000) found that captive-bred Père David's deer Elaphurus davidianus released into the wild and provided with supplementary food in the winter bred successfully and increased in number more than six-fold over 12 years. In one reserve, numbers of Père David’s deer were more than six times higher 12 years after release (127 deer) than at the time of release (20 deer). At a second reserve, numbers were more than seven times higher 11 years after release (302 deer) than at the time of release (39 deer). Average annual birth and death rates were 53% and 9% respectively at one site, and 54% and 3% at the other. Wild offspring translocated from the first site to another fenced area in China survived at least two years post-relocation and reproduced in the second year. In 1985–1987, thirty-seven captive-bred deer were released into a reserve (60 ha). In 1986, thirty-nine captive-bred deer were released into three fenced paddocks (each 100 ha) at a second reserve. In 1992–1996, twenty-one deer from one population and 134 deer from the other were moved to other sites. Supplementary food was provided in both reserves during the winter. The deer populations were monitored for 11–12 years after release in 1985–1997. Details of monitoring methods are not provided.

    (Summarised by: Ricardo Rocha)

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