Characteristics of bark removal by sika deer Cervus nippon, described by direct observation

Abstract

Bark removal by sika deer Cervus nippon was observed by periodically providing potted trees along deer trails from spring through winter in Nara Park, Nara Pref., in central Japan. Potted trees used were Illicium religiosum and Ilex rotunda, which are known to be preferred by deer. Two types of bark removal were observed: gnawing and rubbing. Gnawing was done by males, females and fawns in all seasons, and the frequency was related with deer population density. Deer that barked trees by gnawing always ingested the scraped bark, and also tended to forage on twigs of the potted trees. Rubbing was done only by males during rutting season. These observations indicate that bark removal by gnawing is associated with feeding and bark removal by rubbing is related with rutting behavior by males.