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Location
Hot Springs, AR
Start Date
6-4-2003 12:00 AM
Description
Deer frequently visit areas where they may cause damage. Incidents along roadways and runways inflict numerous injuries to animals and humans, and cause considerable economic losses. Concerns are increasing that deer interactions with domestic animals may contribute to spread of disease. Deer foraging in residential areas, agricultural fields, or plant propagation sites can impede growth and possibly survival of desirable plants. We conducted a series of trials to determine whether mild electric shock would induce place avoidance in deer. Shock was delivered through a device attached to a collar. A noise cue was emitted as an animal approached a defined area if the animal failed to retreat a shock followed. Deer learned to avoid areas associated with shock. We concluded that place avoidance induced through negative reinforcement may be a feasible means to protect valuable resources from resident animals. However, the technological limitations of tested devices, costs to implement, and required training for individual deer reduced the practicality of this approach for highly mobile animals and as a means to protect resources with low economic significance.
Recommended Citation
Nolte, D. L., Vercauteren, K. C., Perry, K. R., & Adams, S. E. (2003). Training deer to avoid sites through negative reinforcement. In Fagerstone, K.A. & Witmer, G.W. (Eds.), The Tenth Wildlife Damage Management Conference (95-104). Hot Springs, AR: National Wildlife Research Center.
Included in
Training Deer to Avoid Sites Through Negative Reinforcement
Hot Springs, AR
Deer frequently visit areas where they may cause damage. Incidents along roadways and runways inflict numerous injuries to animals and humans, and cause considerable economic losses. Concerns are increasing that deer interactions with domestic animals may contribute to spread of disease. Deer foraging in residential areas, agricultural fields, or plant propagation sites can impede growth and possibly survival of desirable plants. We conducted a series of trials to determine whether mild electric shock would induce place avoidance in deer. Shock was delivered through a device attached to a collar. A noise cue was emitted as an animal approached a defined area if the animal failed to retreat a shock followed. Deer learned to avoid areas associated with shock. We concluded that place avoidance induced through negative reinforcement may be a feasible means to protect valuable resources from resident animals. However, the technological limitations of tested devices, costs to implement, and required training for individual deer reduced the practicality of this approach for highly mobile animals and as a means to protect resources with low economic significance.