Management of Sambar Deer (Cervus Unicolor Brookei) Under Agroforestry System in Sarawak

Sambar deer breeding under existing forest plantation with local Sabal Tapang community participation was one of the Agroforestry projects implemented in Sarawak aimed at bringing socio-economic benefits to the shifting cultivators and to strike a balance in nature conservation. The research and observation conducted during the implementation of this agroforestry deer breeding focused on the animal performance, initial effect of deer browsing behaviour on the plantation and attitude and perception of adjacent communities towards the overall agroforestry systems in Sabal. Brody's Growth Model was the most suitable model for deer production under this system. The appropriate age of venison production was about two years when the animal weighed around 74.2 kg. Sambar deer was found to have no definite breeding season. The sex ratio of fawn male to female was 1:1.5, female became sexually mature at 23.1 months, fawning interval was 11.3 months and gestation was 257 days. The period of stag which did not cause damage to vegetation was 4.7 months compared to the long period of 6.9 months of destructiveness to the trees stand as a result of rubbing and territorial marking. There were 22 known families of woody plant and another 10 families of non-woody plant found in the 12-year old Acacia mangium plantation. A total of more than 21 species were eaten by 14 heads of Sam bar deer over a total observation of 65 days within an area of 8.0 ha. Sambar deer browsing was highest in Ficus spp. (34%) for all leaves, fruits and bark; followed by Dillenia sp. shoots (30%); Agrostistachys sp. leaves (8%) and Macaranga spp. leaves (7%). The maximum limit of browsing was observed at height of 4 m with diameter of less than 3.8 cm. The browsing pattern based on nutritional selectivity was shown in species with high dry matter digestibility, crude protein, fibre, potassium, calcium, copper and zinc content. The other factors affecting the browsing pattern were microhabitat and closeness to perimeter fence. It was found that more than 70 percent of tracks and trampling happened near to stream and near to fence compared to only 20 percent observed in the middle of paddock. The criteria for villages acceptance of agroforestry projects were (1) ease of management; (2) fast economic returns; (3) proximity to village and; (4) involving direct participation oflocal people in most of the activities

Browsing preference and ecological carrying capacity of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor brookei) on secondary vegetation in forest plantation

The browsing preference and ecological carrying capacity (ECC) of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor brookei) in acacia plantations for management and conservation of the ecosystem were investigated at Sabal Forest Reserve in Sarawak, Malaysia. The identification of the species browsed by the sambar deer was based on an observation of the plant parts consumed. ECC estimation was based on body weight (BW) and the physiological stages of animals browsed in six fenced 4-ha paddocks. Sambar deer were found foraging on only 29 out of 42 species of secondary vegetation in the acacia plantation. The remaining species are too high for the deer to reach. Planted species, Shorea macrophylla are not palatable to the deer. This augurs well for the integration of sambar deer into shorea plantations. The most frequently exploited plants were Ficus spp. Sambar deer preferred woody species more than non-woody species and they are browser animals. By producing metabolizable energy of 19 000 to 27 000 MJ/ha, the ECC was five head/ha to 5.25 head/ha. Given its contribution to the conservation of wildlife and its capacity to sustain the ecosystem, the sambar deer integrated farming system offers a promising strategy for the future of tropical forestry management

Some physical characteristics of Sambar Deer (Cerous unicolor)

Weights and body measurements of 115 sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) from three states of Malaysia were analysed. The deer range in age from three weeks to seven years old. They were divided into groups and allowed to graze the fenced up paddocks. The deer which were raised in an environment similar to their natural habitat had the heaviest body weight (100.18 kg). The effects of location and partial regression of body height, body length and heart girth, had highly significant (p<.00l) effects on body weight. The partial regression coefficients for body weight, body length and heart girth were 0.91, 0.84 and 1.00, respectively

Growth and reproductive performance of sambar deer in Sabal Forest Reserve of Sarawak, Malaysia

We examined the growth, reproduction, rutting behavior, and health status of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor brookei) in secondary Acacia mangium plantation. The data were collected over 11 years from a breeding herd of 21 stags and 33 hinds in Sabal Forest Reserve, Sarawak, Malaysia. Brody’s growth model of the pooled data is Y t  = 148.56 (1 − 0.98e−0.023t ), which estimates that maximum weights of adults are 184 and 115 kg for males and females respectively. Sambar deer are nonseasonal breeders with the breeding peak in February. Although the earliest age at which a female reached sexual maturity was 11 months, the mean age was 23 ± 7 months. Mean age of first fawning was 32 ± 8 months. Mean gestation period was 259 ± 12 days (n = 82). Stags shed antlers mostly between March and July. Velvet hardens at 103 ± 27 days (n = 23), and velvet harvesting is best at 7–9 weeks when antler length is 25–30 cm. Sambar deer are suitable as a farm species in forest plantations and have a vast potential to uplift rural living standards