Activities and social relationships of red deer at pasture

Aim. To provide baseline data for research into behaviourally appropriate m anagement systems for deer. Methods. Activities and their relationships with weather conditions, and so cial interactions both at pasture and during yarding, were investigated in two groups of yearling stags over summer in Otago, New Zealand. Over 8 week s from November to January, activities, individual distances, weather condi tions and use of shade from trees and shelter from windbreak cloth were rec orded at 5-minute intervals for 4-hour periods at dawn, noon, and dusk. Ove r 2 further weeks, inter-individual distances and aggressive behaviours wer e recorded for each group over two 3-hour periods in both the: home pasture and yard pen environments. Results. Days were classified as being predominantly "dry'" or "wet", and u se of shade and shelter and activity patterns differed between dry and wet days (p < 0.05), with grazing and sitting cycles being disrupted on wet day s. Fenceline pacing, a possible indication of motivation to escape, was obs erved most frequently at dusk on wet days (14.8 % of observations compared with 5.6 % for dry days, s.e.d. 4.1 %; p < 0.05). There was significant evi dence (p < 0.001) for close association between specific pairs of deer. Mor e aggression was observed in the yard pen than in the paddock (p < 0.05). A ggressive interactions showed a linear dominance hierarchy in one group, an d a near-linear hierarchy in the other group. Relationships between distanc e scores, both at pasture and in the yard pen, and aggression hierarchy ran kings were found, with lower-ranking stags maintaining greater distances fr om their neighbours (p < 0.05). Conclusions. It was concluded that as the use of shade and windbreak cloth shelter was related to weather conditions, these amenities probably assiste d with thermoregulation. A need for shelter from the rain was indicated by disrupted activity cycles and fenceline pacing on wet days. Further work in to the needs of deer for protection from the weather is warranted. Evidence of association between individual deer within groups, and avoidance of soc ial contact by some individuals within groups, indicated that research into the social effects of different handling and management techniques for est ablished groups of deer is also warranted.