%0 Journal Article %A FU Daliang %A NIE Haiyan %A SONG Yanling %A ZENG Zhigao %A ZHANG Qiong %A ZHENG Youfeng %T Life history patterns and population dynamics of Hainan Eld’s deer (Cervus eldi hainanus) in Bangxi Nature Reserve,Hainan %D 2009 %R %J ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA %P 20-25 %V 29 %N 1 %X We describe life history patterns and analyze population dynamics of an enclosed population of Hainan Eld’s deer (Cervus eldi hainanus), an endemic,precious and endangered mammal which inhabited in Bangxi Nature Reserve of Hainan Province. Average life span among all animals was about 4.6 years (4. 7 years for females,4. 4 for males). Sexual maturity among females began at an average age of females was 16 months. Mean age of females at first parturition was just over 2 years. All offspring were produced in autumn and winter,the rainy seasons of tropical Hainan Island,when vegetation prospered and food was abundant,and favorable for juveniles to survive. The longest reproductive span of females was 8.5 years;among males, it was and the longest reproductive life span of males was about 4 years. Adult females produced an average of 1 fawn/ yr (i. e.,
litter size =1). The sex ratio of neonates (male∶female)was 1.33∶1. The mortalities of males were different from those of females at different age stages:Female mortality was higher than that of males in yearlings (0 -2 years);adult male mortality was higher than that of adult females (3 - 8 years),suggesting that males had paid higher reproductive cost than females. Annual mortality was highest at older ages (- 9 years)and male mortality was almost equal to that of females at senior stage,which showed that the seniors were the weakest and underwent strongest natural selection. A Leslie matrix suggested that,at stable age distribution,λ≈1.011,with a generation interval of≈5.12 years.
%U http://www.mammal.cn/EN/abstract/article_2233.shtml