2014 Southeastern Naturalist Notes Vol. 13, No. 2
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M.C. Chitwood, M.A. Lashley, C.E. Moorman, and C.S. DePerno
Vocalization Observed in Starving White-tailed Deer Neonates
M. Colter Chitwood1,*, Marcus A. Lashley1, Christopher E. Moorman1, and Christopher S.
DePerno1
Abstract - We observed loud, frequent vocalizations by 5 Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer)
neonates that ultimately died of starvation due to abandonment. We did not observe this behavior by
other neonates, regardless of survival or cause of mortality. Thus, we believe that neonate vocalization
could serve as a useful field indicator of abandonment. Additionally, estimates of predation rates may
be inflated because they are masking high rates of undetected ab andonment.
Neonate ungulate survival affects ungulate recruitment and population dynamics (e.g.,
Gaillard et al. 1998). The recent expansion of Canis latrans Say (Coyote) into the eastern
United States (Gompper 2002, Hill et al. 1987) has the potential to impact Odocoileus virginianus
Zimmermann (White-tailed Deer) populations. Because White-tailed Deer overabundance
is a concern across much of the Southeast, particularly in urban areas (Côté
2011), predation of White-tailed Deer by Coyotes could be welcome. Kilgo et al. (2010)
hypothesized that Coyote predation on neonates could explain localized declines in Whitetailed
Deer populations, and subsequently, Kilgo et al. (2012) determined that neonate survival
was low and that Coyotes were the leading cause of mortality at their South Carolina
study site.
While conducting a study of White-tailed Deer neonate survival at Fort Bragg Military
Installation in North Carolina in 2011 and 2012, we documented 5 cases in which neonates
vocalized often and loudly while we were homing to their location. All 5 neonates that
vocalized ultimately starved due to abandonment. Abandonment is commonly reported in
White-tailed Deer neonate survival studies (e.g., Kilgo et al. 2012, Saalfeld and Ditchkoff
2007, Vreeland et al. 2004), and the reasons for abandonment are attributable to various
causes (Langenau and Lerg 1976). Regardless of the cause, abandonment results in starving
neonates. Though marking-induced abandonment is possible, research has concluded the
risk in White-tailed Deer is minimal, and omitting any neonates from samples can reduce
the accuracy of survival estimates (Carstensen Powell et al. 2005, Ozoga and Clute 1988).
To reduce potential negative impacts of researchers on the dam-neonate relationship, we
always noted the position of the dam (via her radiocollar) and did not approach the neonate
if the dam’s signal came from its immediate vicinity. In all 5 cases of vocalizing neonates,
dams were within a few hundred meters but not with the neonate. Thus, we do not believe
our approach disturbed the dam and subsequently elicited vocalization from the neonate.
Additionally, we did not observe vocalizations in any other neonates (n = 60), regardless of
whether they survived or died of other causes.
In this study, we tracked and located neonates via vaginal-implant transmitters. All 5
of the vocalizing neonates died of starvation within 2–3 days of parturition. We confirmed
the cause of mortality by field necropsy: all 5 neonates exhibited reduced body weight
(compared to birth weight recorded at capture) and a lack of milk in the digestive tract.
All dams of the starving neonates were alive from parturition until the neonates died.
1Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental
Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695. *Corresponding author - colter_chitwood@
ncsu.edu.
Manuscript Editor: Roger D. Applegate
Notes of the Southeastern Naturalist, Issue 13/2, 2014
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2014 Southeastern Naturalist Notes Vol. 13, No. 2
M.C. Chitwood, M.A. Lashley, C.E. Moorman, and C.S. DePerno
Additionally, all neonates were clean and dry at capture and had expelled their meconium
by the time the body was recovered, indicating that dams had at least spent time grooming
the neonate after parturition and perhaps stimulating urination and defecation (DeYoung
and Miller 2011). All neonates had milk stool in the lower digestive tract, which implied
they had fed at least once. We speculate that neonates ultimately starved because they
were either too weak to continue nursing or that dams were nutritionally constrained and
not able to produce enough milk.
Though neonates could vocalize for many reasons, it is noteworthy that starving neonates
were the only ones that we observed exhibiting this behavior during our study. Our
intensive monitoring of neonates that survived the study or died from other causes indicates
that such vocalizations were uncommon. Thus, it is likely that loud, frequent vocalizations
can be used as an indicator of abandonment in White-tailed Deer. Observing vocalization
behavior may provide additional evidence for assigning cause of mortality. Interestingly,
it is possible that detection of neonate abandonment could be masked by predation (i.e.,
predators are able to find cryptic neonates that are vocalizing), and estimates of abandonment
may be biased toward low rates. Though overall survival estimates would not change,
inaccurate estimates of cause-specific mortality could result in inappropriate management
recommendations. For example, if an abandoned neonate vocalizes because it is starving
and is depredated as a result of the behavior, the ultimate mechanism causing low recruitment
might be available nutrition for the dam (i.e., milk production is too low) rather than
predation. However, with predation implicated, predator removal might be the suggested
management action though this technique would not address the underlying mechanism
leading to low recruitment. In areas of high predation risk and documented cases of abandonment,
the potential interaction of the two mortality sources should be considered.
Acknowledgments. Funding was provided by the United States Department of Defense.
We thank J. Jones, A. Schultz, and the Fort Bragg Wildlife Branch for logistical support.
We thank M. Broadway, A. Schrader, B. Peterson, B. Sherrill, K. Young, and M. Nunnery
for assistance in the field.
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M.C. Chitwood, M.A. Lashley, C.E. Moorman, and C.S. DePerno
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