RED DEER and SHEARWATERS

Solution for Manx Shearwater Infanticide on Rhum

JUSTIFICATION

Rhum is an island managed by the Scottish Natural Heritage to preserve various

Scottish species of animals. One of these is the Red Deer, an invasive species
imported from the mainland and one of the largest deer species. Deer on Rhum have
been found to take a different approach to collecting the minerals required for their
antlers than those on the mainland; while the mainland deer chew on discarded
antlers or the bones of their dead counterparts, the Rhum Red Deer have begun
preying on Manx Shearwater hatchlings. A decrease in Manx Shearwater populations
could have a wide range of effects on the biodiversity of the ecological reserve on
Rhum.

HARD DATA

There were 2.4% less used burrows in 1995 compared to 1990, following a 2.3%
decline since 1985. Quadrants were set up by biologists and the number of pairs
inside was measured:
Rum has the largest Manx Shearwater population in the world, with 61,000 breeding
pairs on the island, part of around 200,000 pairs in the British Isles, and only 20,000
pairs breeding outside of the British Isles, so Rum is important for the conservation
of the species. Red Deer Population was controlled before, with an annual culling of
deer. This stopped in 1972. Thereafter a steady increase in Red Deer Population was
observed:

This data is collected from a census in one of five deer management blocks on
Rhum. It indicates that red deer population steadily increased until a maximum was
reached, at which point the population began fluctuating in the 80s.

Red Deer Stags require 20mg of calcium per kg of body weight daily. On average
Red Deer Stags weigh 200kg, meaning they would require 4g of calcium daily. Only
25-40% of the calcium requirements of the deer were met through the diet, leaving
60-75% needed from other means such as dead deer antlers or shearwater bones.

SUPPORTING DATA (for possible solutions, we will look at how Kiwi birds in
New Zealand are saved from predation when they are young)

In areas where kiwi predators are intensively controlled, kiwi hatching increases to
90%. 70% of those who die within 6 months of hatching are killed by predators
(stoats and cats).

METHODOLOGY
Our approach must be two-fold;

Protecting Manx Shearwaters

We want to prevent deer from entering Shearwater breeding grounds, on the cliffs
and around the beaches on Rhum, without impacting the flow of other wildlife. Since
deer are the largest fauna on the island, we propose building a bar-fence which
restricts Red Deer from entering the Shearwater burrows but does not prevent
flightless Shearwaters chicks or other animals from moving around the island.
Mature Red Deer stags are typically between 105 and 120cm in shoulder height. This
means that our fence would have to be about 100cm in height and surround coastal
burrowing areas. The only animal whose movement on Rhum would be restricted by
this would be the single herd of native cattle which does not make use of Shearwater
burrowing sites.

Giving Calcium to Stags

Stags require an average of 4g of calcium per day. About 25% of that calcium
requirement is achieved through their natural diet, indicating they need 3g of
calcium a day from other sources (currently this is from Manx Shearwater chick
bones). We can try to increase the dietary calcium intake by introducing calcium-
high plants such as kale, but this solution will only work on the long term, when
these plants become widespread on the island. In Australia, when wild animals are
lacking a mineral, biologists drop licks of a certain mineral in their habitats. To make
a deer mineral lick, a large hole is dug in the ground, and a bag containing a granule
mixture of salt and essential minerals is poured into this hole. It is then covered with
dirt, and some salt is placed on top of the mound. Deer are initially attracted to the
salt taste on top of the mound, and will then continue to dig to lick the minerals
further down.

IMPACT of the SOLUTION

Rum has a permanent population of about 30 people, mostly in the small settlement
of Kinloch in the North of the island, so our solution will not affect a large number of
people. The sole income for these people is from tending to people visiting the
nature reserve, most of them tourists or scientists. Rum is a favorite spot for
birdwatchers, so making sure the Manx Shearwaters on the island stay around is
important to continue attracting these birdwatchers. Furthermore, Rum is a research
site for the University of Edinburgh which uses the isolated population of Red Deer
on the island to investigate the species. Introducing mineral licks and new vegetation
for the deer to consume will allow for more research on the effects of those factors
on deer populations, possibly extending the length of time the island will be used by
scientists and benefiting the local population who are supported by them.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The shearwater populations have been measured every 5 years since 1990 by the
University of Edinburgh, so we can just continue to study whether our solution has
had an impact or not by comparing 2015’s data to 2010’s. We expect the number of
used burrows to stabilize, with a mean of about 21 used burrows per investigation
area.

We can check all the licks on the licks every summer to refill them. Cameras can be
put by each lick to monitor how each deer is doing and if they are actually
consuming the licks. To ensure that the deer are eating the kale and that the kale
does not become an invasive species, we should have people monitoring the growth
and spread of the plants. If the plant becomes invasive then it should be removed
immediately, before it becomes so dominant that it cannot be removed anymore.
However, it will hopefully not, if the deer begin to eat it.

Long term impacts

It is possible that the kale will become an invasive species if the deer to not begin to
eat it. The Shearwater populations will begin to increase again as the deer find
another source of calcium. We also may see another increase of red deer
populations as they begin to eat their proper diet. If the project is successful the deer
will probably begin to have much larger antlers.