Exotic Intruders
Adaptation of deer to new conditions
Adaptation of deer to new conditions
It has definitely been proved, according to Donne, that red deer transferred from England to New Zealand take two years to adapt themselves to the change of season. This shows up in erratic rut and calving, and in aberrant shedding of antlers and time of new growth. In Britain, red deer start to rut about the 20th of September, while in New Zealand the season begins about the 20th of March. The rutting season, of course, determines antler shedding and calving time.
In 1907-08 Donne observed this process of adaptation in two stags and four hinds, all four years old, which were shipped to New Zealand from Warnham Court Park. Two of the hinds died on the journey, and the rest were placed in the Paraparaumu Game Farm.
In April the stags came out of the bush with clean antlers and began roaring on the 2nd of May. These antlers were not fully developed and were smaller than their previous antlers; little wonder, considering that they had grown two sets of antlers in one year.
The two hinds calved in April, the progeny of the September rut in England. In 1909 they calved again, in February, two months early for British conditions, and two months late for New Zealand conditions. By 1910 they had adapted, and calved at the normal New Zealand time.