Effectiveness of Deer whistle for Hokkaido sika deer <i>Cervus nippon yesoensis</i> for prevention of deer-vehicle crash

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  • Shikano Takane
    Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Hokkaido Development Engineering Center
  • Yanagawa Hisashi
    Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
  • Noro Misako
    Hokkaido Development Engineering Center
  • Hara Fumihiro
    Hokkaido Development Engineering Center
  • Jimma Tsuyoshi
    Obihiro Road Maintenance Office, Obihiro Development and Construction Department

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Other Title
  • 交通事故防止を目的としたエゾシカに対するディアホイッスルの有効性
  • コウツウ ジコ ボウシ オ モクテキ ト シタ エゾシカ ニ タイスル ディアホイッスル ノ ユウコウセイ

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Abstract

We studied the effectiveness of electronic deer whistles in scaring away sika deer that are likely to run onto roads, resulting in accidents. These whistles have been used in the U.S.A. and other countries. In this study, two types of deer whistles were tested: one that has a continuous tone with a fixed frequency (Whistle A) and the other that has an intermittent tone with a modulated frequency (Whistle B). To assess the effectiveness of the whistles in alerting deer, the deer's reactions to the whistles were observed by blowing the whistle from a fixed place that is visible to the deer when they appear by the roadside. For the control sample, deer's behavior when no whistle was blown was observed. When no whistle was blown, 51% of the deer were on alert about the observers. When Whistle A was blown, 67% of the deer were on alert; this figure increased to 95% when Whistle B was blown. The time durations for which the deer were alert when no whistle was blown, Whistle A was blown, and Whistle B was blown were 20%, 42%, and 73%, respectively. These results indicated that the deer whistles are effective in alerting deer, and that Whistle B is more effective than Whistle A. Vehicles can be equipped with deer whistles to alert deer about on-coming vehicles so as to prevent them from crossing roads, and consequently reduce deer-vehicle collisions.

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