Food habits of Sika deer on Mt. Goyo, northern Honshu

Abstract The food habits of Sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) on Mt. Goyo, northern Honshu (the main island of Japan), were studied. Among 88 plant species found in surveys, 36 species (40.9%) were eaten by the deer. The percentage frequency of feeding ( F ) was highest for graminoids (59.6%), followed by browses (16.6%) and ferns (7.7%) and lowest for forbs (5.4%). Though various kinds of plants were eaten, only limited species formed the bulk of the deer dietary composition. Sasa nipponica , in particular, was the most important constituent, ranking highest in F value (80.3%) and being the dominant component of feces. Fecal analyses revealed that, 1) in areas lower than 900 m in altitude, Sasa nipponica accounted for between 20 and 60% of the content and that pasture grasses were also important, and 2) S. nipponica occupied more than 50% in montane areas higher than 900 m, and even more than 80% in winter. The utilization of S. nipponica as a forage for Sika deer was discussed. This plant can be a key forage species because it meets all the necessary conditions: abundance and stability of supply, palatability, nutritive quality and tolerance to grazing.