STIMULI-RELATED VARIATION IN URINATION FREQUENCY OF FEMALE WHITE-TAILED DEER DURING THE ESTROUS-CYCLE

We observed variations in urination frequency of female white-tailed d eer (Odocoileus virginianus) that appeared to be dependent on stage of the estrous cycle and type of disturbance stimuli, and evaluated poss ible causes for this potential chemosensory behavior. Eight does were exposed randomly to a teaser buck, other does, and a human disturbance for 5 min each day. For each doe, treatments were performed 15 times when the doe was not in estrus and 3 times during estrus. The number o f urinations was recorded for each event. When disturbed, non-estrous does urinated more frequently than estrous does. Exposure of an estrou s doe to another doe or to a human did not stimulate urination; in 4 t est animals, exposure to a buck resulted only in occasional urination. In contrast, non-estrous does urinated infrequently in response to di sturbance by another doe, or a human, whereas exposure to a teaser buc k resulted in significantly higher urination frequencies. Urine undoub tedly provides valuable semiochemicals that stimulate reproductive beh avior. Urine may also facilitate vomeronasal and/or olfactory communic ation between male deer and non-receptive females and act to prime mal es for the breeding season. Variation in urination due to stage of est rus may allow does to selectively provide olfactory cues to conspecifi cs during the breeding season. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.