Mule deer movements, survival, and use of contaminated areas at Rocky Flats, Colorado Symonds, Kate K. Rocky Flats Plant (U.S.) Mule deer Wildlife conservation -- Colorado x, 67 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-58) Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) reside on plutonium contaminated land that surrounds the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Facility, Colorado. Concern exists over the potential for deer to transport radionuclides away from Rocky Flats. Deer may potentially transport radionuclides through excretion of contaminated forage and soil away from the ingestion site, or by retention of radionuclides in tissues or the hide. To assess their potential to transport radionulcides and to determine annual movement patterns, deer were radio-located throughout the year. Transport of radionuclides appears to be very low, but because of small sample size, any conclusion regarding plutonium transport is premature. The deer population size was estimated from a helicopter survey during summer 1990, and from a ground survey during winter 1991. Population estimates were 161 (95% confidence interval 136-220) during summer, and 199 (95% confidence interval 198-207) during winter. Winter 1991 buck:doe ratio was 35:100, and fawn:doe ratio was 90:100. Annual adult doe survival rates were 0.792 ± 0.083 (SE) in 1990 (n = 24), and 0.857 ± 0.059 (SE) in 1991 (n = 35), and were not statistically different (P = 0.19). Winter survival rate for female fawns was 0.895 ± 0.043 (SE) (n=19), and male fawn survival rate for the same time period was 0.950 ± 0.046 (SE) (n=2l), and did not differ statistically (P = 0.51). The major cause of mortality among radio-collared deer was collisions with vehicles (47.8%), and predation (21.8%). Accidents and unknown causes comprised the remainder of mortalities (30.4%). Colorado State University. Libraries 1992 text ; image application/pdf 1992_spring_Symonds.pdf ETDF1992100001FWCB eng English Colorado ; Rocky Flats Plant (U.S.) Copyright of original work is retained by the author.
Mule deer movements, survival, and use of contaminated areas at Rocky Flats, Colorado
Symonds, Kate K.
Rocky Flats Plant (U.S.)
Mule deer
Wildlife conservation -- Colorado
x, 67 p.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-58)
Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) reside on plutonium contaminated land that surrounds the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Facility, Colorado. Concern exists over the potential for deer to transport radionuclides away from Rocky Flats. Deer may potentially transport radionuclides through excretion of contaminated forage and soil away from the ingestion site, or by retention of radionuclides in tissues or the hide. To assess their potential to transport radionulcides and to determine annual movement patterns, deer were radio-located throughout the year. Transport of radionuclides appears to be very low, but because of small sample size, any conclusion regarding plutonium transport is premature. The deer population size was estimated from a helicopter survey during summer 1990, and from a ground survey during winter 1991. Population estimates were 161 (95% confidence interval 136-220) during summer, and 199 (95% confidence interval 198-207) during winter. Winter 1991 buck:doe ratio was 35:100, and fawn:doe ratio was 90:100. Annual adult doe survival rates were 0.792 ± 0.083 (SE) in 1990 (n = 24), and 0.857 ± 0.059 (SE) in 1991 (n = 35), and were not statistically different (P = 0.19). Winter survival rate for female fawns was 0.895 ± 0.043 (SE) (n=19), and male fawn survival rate for the same time period was 0.950 ± 0.046 (SE) (n=2l), and did not differ statistically (P = 0.51). The major cause of mortality among radio-collared deer was collisions with vehicles (47.8%), and predation (21.8%). Accidents and unknown causes comprised the remainder of mortalities (30.4%).
Colorado State University. Libraries
1992
text ; image
application/pdf
1992_spring_Symonds.pdf
ETDF1992100001FWCB
eng
English
Colorado ; Rocky Flats Plant (U.S.)
Copyright of original work is retained by the author.