Landscape-scale effects of homesteads, water, and dingoes on invading chital deer in Australia’s dry tropics

This study used camera traps on seven cattle properties to test the predictions: that abundance of chital deer would be highest near permanent water and near homesteads, and that dingoes reduce their abundance. Distance from the nearest homestead determined deer abundance, with negligible abundance more than 4 km from homesteads. In contrast, distance from homestead did not predict abundance of feral pigs, macropods or dingoes. Abundance of chital deer and feral pigs, but not macropods or dingos, also declined with increasing distance from water. The abundance of deer was unaffected by dingo abundance even though most dingo scats collected within 1 km of homesteads contained chital deer. The high abundances of chital deer near homesteads are likely due to increased food quality or quantity, or protection from dingoes. They concluded that homesteads and permanent water are important determinants of the distribution and abundance of chital deer and suggested that in dry seasons, managers should survey for and attempt to control deer within 4 km of homesteads and within 3 km of water.