Seasonal habitat use and selection of the endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) in Patagonian Andes

The aim of this study was to assess the huemul's (Hippocamelus bisulcus) seasonal habitat selection. The study was performed during 2003-2004 in Los Alerces National Reserve, Argentina. The huemul fresh signs were intensively sought and registered on transects distributed at random as evidence of habitat use. The transects were laid perpendicular to the contour lines, running continuously from low to high elevations. The sampling points were placed on each contour line to evaluate the availability of the vegetation types. We used a nonmapping technique and the Bonferroni confidence intervals to analyze the habitat selection on a seasonal basis. The huemul signs were found at elevations that varied significantly across the seasons. The seasonal distribution of the signs showed that during autumn and winter, the huemul selected the lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) forests and high shrublands, respectively, and the high-Andean vegetation in summer. The observed pattern of habitat selection reflects the movements from the high elevations in summer to the low elevations in winter. This pattern appeared to be influenced by food availability. The protection of the habitat, ranging from the low valleys to the mountain-top areas, and the actions to reduce human pressure in the low elevations appear critical for the conservation of the huemul populations.