2004 Volume 44 Issue 1 Pages 1-15
A total of 269 sika deer (Cervus nippon) were captured with a corral trap in six trials for a management program and research in March and April 2001-2003 on Nakanoshima Island in Lake Toya, Hokkaido, Japan. The trap (361m in circumference) composed of funnel-shaped corral with wire net, J-shaped pen and darkroom with plywood. Captured deer were driven into the pen and the darkroom, and immobilized with xylazine-ketamine or medetomidine-ketamine mixture using dart guns and blowpipes. Total mortality rate was 14.0% (24/171) except for 98 translocated deer. Adult males and fawns were more susceptible to mortality than adult females and yearlings (p<0.05). Occurrence of mortalities and injuries were strongly correlated with the number of deer captured at one time (118 deer in maximum, p<0.05) and of antlered males driven into the pen (p<0.01). To reduce the mortality, it is necessary that handlers control the density of antlered males within the pen, quickly immobilize them and shorten the processing time. Person-hours per deer captured was 3.9 for baiting and trapping and 6.1 for handling. Since safety in using this trap can be improved, corral trap would be an efficient mass capture method for sika deer under the guidance of experienced persons.
