Flight responses of park fallow deer to the human observer

The flight response of fallow deer (Dama dama) towards human observers was studied in an enclosed population using fixed transects. Groups took flight less often when in open habitats, in large group sizes and at high distances from the transect. Flight was also less common where human activity was higher. This effect was marked, probably because the study was carried out in an enclosure where disturbance was frequent, regular and predictable. We suggest that these results may indicate that the flight response of fallow deer depends on the level of security provided by their immediate environment and their habituation to human presence. In addition, we observed that female groups took flight more often than other group types, possibly due to differences in ecological strategy whereby protection of young is a high priority for females. One of the most striking features of our results was the high inter-individual variability in flight response. This emphasises the need for individual-based behavioural studies.