The Diet Selction Of The Barbary Deer In Beni Salah Natural Reserve

Abstract

The Barbary deer (Cervus elaphus barbarus) is the only representative species of the Cervidae family in North Africa, and is considered as a symbolic species in its habitat. According to the IUCN, the Barbary deer is listed as a vulnerable species by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because of human activity, habitat fragmentation and habitat degradation. However, studies on the ecology, behaviour, diet and distribution on the species are lacking. Our aim in this study is to shed light on the diet selection of the endangered Barbary deer. This study was conducted in Beni Salah 2200 ha natural reserve, North-east Algeria. We collected 11 faecal samples near possible resting or feeding points and 10 transects of vegetation were made based on possible footprints of the Barbary deer. Micro-histology method was applied to obtain faecal samples slide and epidermis references slide. Our results showed that Quercus suber and unknown herbs formed the bulk of the diet with (21.3 ± 7.8 %, 19.2 ± 8.3 %), respectively. Overall, trees and shrubs were the most positive selected class (wi = 1.111, χ2 = 18.62, p<0.045), and herbs and grasses were classified as a negative selected class (wi = 0.732, χ 2 = 44.94, p<0.001). Our finding revealed that seven species from trees and shrubs were positively selected by the Barbary deer, with Erica arborea being the most positively selected species (4.45%) (wi = 3.402, χ = 368.94, p<0.001). However, herbs and grasses were negatively selected by the deer, represented only one species Ampelodesmos muritanicus with (9.08%) (wi = 0.254, χ2 = 64.77, p<0.001). Our results were in accordance with other studies in the Mediterranean region. In this preliminary study, further research on seasonal variation and habitat structure of the Barbary deer is essential for comprehensive determination of the Barbary deer Diet.