Management of the White-Tailed Deer - Essay Example

MANAGEMENT OF THE WHITE TAIL DEER Date: Introduction Wildlife is an important aspect of human life, having multiple functions and values in his social, environmental and economic dimensions. However, with the passage of time, there have been changing forms of each of the dimensions leading man to significantly distract and affect the normal style and form of wildlife. Across the world, there has been increasing cases of animal species diminishing, never to be seen again as a result of man’s activities such as poaching. Several endangered species have been rapidly declining with some of the valuable flora and fauna diminishing completely. There have been various intervention mechanisms in order to revive this fast declining number of endangered flora and fauna in many countries. Some governments and individuals have resorted to creating of ranches and other conservancy schemes in a bid to conserve and protect some of these endangered flora and fauna. It is important to understand that the significance of this wildlife is the one that prompts all these conservation and management efforts. In general, wildlife has very many benefits to countries as well as people who keep and maintain these conservancies, for instance, they are a source of income when tourism sets in, at the same time, they are useful for research as well as for aesthetic value to the environment. The white tailed Deer The White tailed deer is one of the animals that have been regarded as endangered species in some part of the world, especially in United States of America, it is also referred to as Virginia deer or the white tail. This animal is medium in size and is prevalent in many parts of South and Central America, Mexico, Canada and many other parts of the United States of America including the states of Texas and Virginia as well as other adjacent states. The rate at which this species is being highly regarded in different countries has led to the establishment of conservancy schemes in America to take care of the increasing demands for this deer across the world (D’angelo et al 2006). It is believed that this management and conservation efforts have seen an steady increase in the population of these species in the states of Texas and Virginia. In the ranches, proper care is done to ensure that the animals are given enough food and medication so that they do not succumb to environmental illnesses leading to their death. The white tail deer management plan In general, the habitat of a deer is supposed to have the necessities of life; this includes nutrition, water as well as the much needed cover during different seasons. The diversity of vegetation in a habitat is considered the basic element in meeting the cover as well as all the general food requirements for the deer. The basic cover requirements for the deer during their growing include; low-growing vegetation, which is essential for giving adequate hiding for the fawns, especially during their first few days. At the same time, there should also be enough mid-level vegetation so that the deer can have protection from predators, especially in natural conservancies. For the deer to have enough food there should be over story vegetation that comprises of trees and shrubs, which are the favorite foods for the animals besides being good shelter for the animals in extreme weather. The deer habitat is usually established through special programs that involve manipulation of vegetation, these programs are referred to as “range management.” Some of the important things that are carried out in range management include balancing the numbers of particular wildlife so that they can effectively fit the food supply available. At the same time, the process involves instituting rotational grazing systems in order to have enough grass all year round. Deer management programs in the United States Deer management programs in the United States have been responsible for the increasing deer population in most of the states that management efforts have been initiated. The Deer management ranges and other systems have been formulated and implemented by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) staff, with the basic aim of increasing and maintaining the population of deer. To this effect, the population of deer in these ranging schemes has been exceeding that of the forest schemes. In the United States, the Deer has been cited as one of the wild herbivores that has significantly affected gardens and crops as well as trees, by eating away their back. At the same time, they have been contributing to increased accidents in highways, as they always want to cross the road in numbers at any point (Grund 2011). For this reason, their population has had to be controlled in order to stabilize the ecosystem successfully. The deer management program in the United States, the augmented population of the deer is being managed through a series of mortality ways which include hunting, predation, use of injuries and diseases as well other mechanisms that keeps their population check. By managing their population, the available food resources are able to sustain the present numbers effectively. This process has seen most of the population of the deer in these states remain constant without diminishing in the face of the changing seasons. The Deer management plan The management plan for the deer in the United States started as far as the period between 1996-1998, and was later regarded as the 1999 Deer Plan. The basic motivation followed the fact that the deer were significantly affecting people’s crops (VerCauteren, Lavelle & Hygnstorm 2006), trees as well as contributing to increased rates of accidents on the subways. In the United States, the processes of deer management have been prompted by the fact that their population has been a major consideration by the state. The increased population of these animals has been hampering the states established ecosystem. Conservation efforts by VDGIF have placed much attention on the management and care of the white-tailed deer compared to the rest of the deer. This is because of the fact that the deer has been said to be the most valuable and famous among the many game species available in natural and private ecosystem. At the same time, it has been discovered these species has been the victim of many road accidents on highways and other places. However, one of the major challenges with the conservation of the white tail deer has risen from the differing interests of the population. The VDGIF deer management plan has therefore set to use different and effective management plans that address the concern of the citizens, in order to reduce the prevailing conflict. For this reason, strategies applied for effective management include public education. This method has been proved to be very effective since it helps citizens to develop an interest in partnering with the states authorities on order to conserve and manage the deer. At the same time, public education on the importance of value is essential in creating lasting values in succeeding generation since present generations can easily pass on this knowledge. In addition, there have been regulatory powers that have been aimed at checking on the population of the deer to ensure that their ratio is in life with the available food resources. At the same time, there have been important efforts in controlling the available food resources and creating laws and other regulations to punish those who contravene management requirements. To this effect, people that have been found doing illegal hunting in the deer ecosystems have been made to face the law, with varying consequences. The deer management plan has specified various essential aspects in relation to the historical background of the particular management plan. A the same time, it has also considered the current events and practices done towards managing the deer as well as future directions that have to be observed by the succeeding generations. All these plans have been set up by the VDGIF and other states to ensure that the deer as well conserved and the increasing numbers be converted into economic significance for the people and the state at large (Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 2007). In order to ensure that the white tail deer are effectively managed, the Deer Management plan in Virginia and other states concerned with the activity have been providing an outline to be used, on the basis of which needs have been identified and given priority. The plan identifies the specific action plans that have to be followed within certain time lines. In this set times, it is expected that the objectives set will have been achieved and new ones established after an analysis of their effectiveness and significance, basing on their outcomes. The outcomes got from the Deer Management Plan have been found to be critical in making important decisions to assist VDGIF management including the staff and board members as well as administrators to resolve various issues that are related to the white tail deer and others in the ecosystem. It is the responsibility of Deer Management Plan to come up with strategies that effectively tackles the increasing population of deer, in doing this; they stipulate and regulate hunting in order to control their population. So far, these efforts have been effective in conserving the deer in their ecosystems, making it possible for the particular states to export some to other countries and benefit immensely from those people who visit to see and learn from them. References D’angelo, G. J., et al (2006). Evaluation of wildlife warning reflectors for altering white-tailed deer behavior along roadways. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 34(4), 11750-1183. Grund, M. D. (2011). Survival analysis and computer simulations of lethal and contraceptive management strategies for urban deer. Human-Wildlife Interactions 5(1), 23-31. VerCauteren, K. C., Lavelle, M. J & Hygnstorm, S. (2006). Fences and deer-damage management: a review of designs and efficacy. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 34(1), 191-200. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. (2007). Virginia deer management plan 2006-2015. Wildlife Information Publication,7(1): 1-52. Read More