Impact of snare traps on vigilance behavior and frequency of appearance at trap sites for sika deer

Abstract

To reduce the population size of sika deer, efficient operation of snare traps is necessary. However, there have been few studies on the sika deer’s response to snare trap capture. We aimed to compare sika deer’s vigilance behavior and stay time at the trap sites before and after snare trap captures. We also monitored the frequency of appearance at trap sites and in the surrounding area. This study was conducted from August 2019 to February 2020 to collect data on the vigilant behaviors, stay time, and frequency of appearance in photographs. We found that vigilance behavior during the capture phase was higher than before the capture phase and remained high afterwards. Although the frequency of appearance in photographs at the capture sites was highest before the capture phase, no significant differences were detected in the frequencies at the surrounding sites throughout the study period. This result indicates that it would be desirable to relocate snare traps and bait from trap sites to the surrounding areas after capturing sika deer in the target area. Consequently, it is possible that snare traps can continue to be used to capture sika deer and effectively reduce their population.