Скачать или смотреть Abundance and Distribution of Philippine Brown Deer in the Obu Manuvu Ancestral Domain, Davao City

The Philippine Brown Deer (Rusa marianna) is an endangered species that is endemic to the Philippines. Deforestation, habitat loss, and subsistence hunting continue to cause its rapidly declining population. To increase knowledge on the conservation and population status of deer in Mindanao, the researchers conducted an assessment of its abundance and distribution within the Obu Manuvu Ancestral Domain (OMAD) in Davao City on January to March 2020. The camera trapping technique was used to detect deer presence and calculate its relative abundance index (RAI). Ten cameras were installed in areas with preliminary evidence of deer presence such as trails, dens, and fecal pellets and distributed at 250 m minimum distance interval. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were undertaken to document local conservation efforts. Three deer individuals were observed after 500 camera trap days (RAI=0.006). One individual was photographed in each barangay, namely: Salaysay, Carmen, and Tawan-tawan (RAI=0.008), while no deer individual was detected in barangay Tambobong (RAI=0). Overall, the deer has a very low RAI and broad distribution across the primary dipterocarp forests located at an elevation of 1518 m to 1604 m mamsl. Hunting and habitat loss remain the leading anthropogenic threats against the deer despite the Obu Manuvu indigenous community's local conservation efforts. Thus, there is a need to strengthen conservation efforts by implementing wildlife monitoring and forest protection policies.

ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE PHILIPPINE BROWN DEER (RUSA MARIANNA) IN THE OBU MANUVU ANCESTRAL DOMAIN, DAVAO CITY

AUTHORS:
Jhonnel P. Villegas, Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology
Jayson C. Ibañez, Philippine Eagle Foundation
Clint Kenny T. Cabrido, Ateneo de Davao University

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