Does Bambi Need Privacy? The Impact of Human Recreational Trail Traffic on Abundance and Daily Activity on the White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Mentor/Supervising Professor Name
Corbit, Aaron
Description
Previous research has suggested that human traffic can impact the movement patterns of the white-tailed deer. Specifically, as human traffic increases, deer sightings decrease. Also, deer peak activity is at dawn and dusk, yet one study reported a decrease in deer sightings in the evening that seemed to correspond to a peak in human traffic. However, the relationship between human traffic and deer daily movements remains unclear. In this study, we used trail cameras to examine the effect of human traffic on the abundance and daily movement patterns of the white-tailed deer on a trail system on SAU's campus.
Does Bambi Need Privacy? The Impact of Human Recreational Trail Traffic on Abundance and Daily Activity on the White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Previous research has suggested that human traffic can impact the movement patterns of the white-tailed deer. Specifically, as human traffic increases, deer sightings decrease. Also, deer peak activity is at dawn and dusk, yet one study reported a decrease in deer sightings in the evening that seemed to correspond to a peak in human traffic. However, the relationship between human traffic and deer daily movements remains unclear. In this study, we used trail cameras to examine the effect of human traffic on the abundance and daily movement patterns of the white-tailed deer on a trail system on SAU's campus.