Persian Fallow Deer - Reintroduction - Anti-Predator Behavior

Anti-Predator Behavior

The behavioral balance between timidity and boldness in Persian fallow deer is vital in establishing a long-lasting species reintroduction. Timidity describes the anti-predator behavior exhibited in the deer that have been exposed to perceived threats from predators and have adopted a more careful and hesitant disposition when navigating their surroundings. Though the increased hesitance of deer raised in the wild often reduces dispersal rates, this timidity can have a positive effect on a Persian fallow deer’s ability to survive in the wild by limiting a deer's risk of being poached or preyed upon. Boldness refers to the risk-taking attitude shown by deer that are willing to capitalize on perceived opportunities and have a reduced concern for the consequences of such actions. The deer that are more daring generally manifest a greater degree of population dispersal in the wild. In Persian fallow deer reintroductions, securing a balance between these two factors can prove difficult, especially when information on population dynamics and individual and group behavior is limited.

The reintroduction of Persian fallow deer relies on individuals that have been raised in captivity that do not possess the timidity and anti-predator precautions that their wild counterparts exhibit. Direct human intervention in captive animals greatly reduces the difficulties and threats that would otherwise be present in the wild. This commonly results in a dulled wariness of potential predators and thus an increase in risk-taking behavior and dispersal rate. When comparing reintroduced deer from breeding facilities that were subjected to substantial human interaction and from facilities that had significantly less human interaction, deer that experienced less human interaction had an 80% higher survival rate than those exposed to more human interaction. Therefore, if Persian fallow deer populations are to later function in reintroduction programs, exposure to humans should be kept at a minimum to increase the deer’s probability of survival.