Abstract
In 2003, we investigated the effects of provisioning for sika deer (Cervus nippon) by tourists in Ebino Plateau, Kirishima, Miyazaki Prefecture. During the observations (total 71 hours), we found that a total number of 2,733 tourists (977 tour groups) had approached deer, and 579 tourists (183 tour groups) gave food to deer. The correlation between total number of tourists approaching deer and giving food was significant (r=0.898, F=41.875, p<0.0001), which accounted for 20% of total tourists that approached the deer. According to our observations, 70% of foods were snacks (potato chips, rice crackers, etc.) and an average of 0.63 of a snack bag was given by a tour group. In addition, the number of individual deer in a group fed by a tour group varied from 1 to 11 with an average of 4.8.
Additionally, the daily number of cars that parked in the visitor center parking lot was significantly correlated with both the daily number of tourists that gave food to deer (r=0.737, F=10.7, p<0.0014), and the daily number of tour groups that gave food (r=0.737, F=10.7, p<0.01). As a result, the total annual numbers of tourists and group tours giving food to deer could be estimated as 23,000 and 7,000, respectively.
