Habitat availability for the mule deer (Cervidae) population in a relictual oak-pine forest in Baja California Sur, Mexico

Abstract

We estimated the mule deer Odocoileus hemionus peninsulae (Lydekker 1898) population in six locations of an oak-pine forest in the Sierra de La Laguna in the Cape Region of Baja California Sur, Mexico, during 7 consecutive years (1987 to 1993). The most important habitat variables for deer (plant biomass, cover, and water) were measured over five wet and dry seasons at the same locations. The population estimation (based on pellet-group counts) resulted in an average density of 19 ± 5 deer/km². The deer habitat in the area is typified by different association proportions of Black Oak Quercus devia-Pinyon Pine Pinus lagunae-Oak Quercus tuberculata-Madrone Arbutus peninsularis. There is a marked seasonality in the vegetation. In general, the habitat transects revealed ample cover and plant biomass, shrubs being the dominant growth form and that most frequently consumed by the deer. The deer population is less than the habitat's carrying capacity in the wet and dry seasons. None of the habitat variables measured are a limiting factor, though deer were found to prefer sites with greater amounts of cover and biomass of shrubs. All sites surveyed contain available water and are in rugged terrain.