Home range of female sika deer Cervus nippon on Nozaki Island, the Goto Archipelago, Japan.

Abstract

The home ranges and habitat preferences of female sika deer (Cervus nippon) on Nozaki Island, in the Goto Archipelago were studied by radio-tracking. Six radio-tagged females were tracked continuously during June, August, October and December 1991. Female deer remained in small home ranges including both open and forest habitats throughout the year. These ranges overlapped to a considerable extent, however, individuals moved independently of each other. The females tended to select open habitats from spring to autumn and forest habitats in winter.