Population Estimates and Habitat Selection of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus ustus) in the Antisana Water Conservation Area, Ecuador

Abstract

The Antisana Water Conservation Area (ACHA) greatly contributes to the water supply of the Metropolitan District of Quito (DMQ). Therefore, integrated management of the area needs to take into account the ecological interactions that sustain the interception and slow release of water by the vegetation and soil. An apparent increase in the population of white-tailed deer has led to the concern that this herbivore may alter the vegetation and thus the water cycle. In this study, we obtain the first population estimates for white-tailed deer in ACHA and the second estimate for the Ecuadorean Andes. Vantage point counts (VPC) set the minimum population for the reserve at 760 individuals, whereas the fecal standing crop (FSC) indirect method determined an estimate of 953 ± 368 (90% confidence interval) for a density of 11.27 individuals/km2. The density of deer is low compared to other sites in the Colombian and Venezuelan Andes. From a management perspective, the optimal number of deer for the reserve will depend on the impact the deer have on the ideal composition of plants for the long-term production of water.