Red Deer Urban Wildlife Project By Sandra MacDougall, RDP
Ungulates such as moose, white-tailed deer and mule deer often thrive in low-predation urban environments like the City of Red Deer. The presence of these animals in the city can lead to varying perceptions among residents, with some considering them pests while others appreciate their presence. Conflicts arising from these populations include wildlife-vehicle collisions, the spread of zoonotic diseases, damage to plants and property, and occasional aggressive behavior.

The study’s objective was to estimate the population density and winter distribution of these ungulates in Red Deer’s green belt areas using a drone-based survey method, and to evaluate the use of drones for this purpose. We used a DJI Matrice 300 drone to intensively survey a 9.56-square-km green belt area of Red Deer. Flying at an altitude of 100 m, we counted deer and moose based on their heat signatures using parallel transects spaced 50 m apart in areas with limited visibility and 100 m apart in open areas. We recorded both infrared and colour video footage, along with still images. We found distinct spatial separation between white-tailed and mule deer herds in the city, with a population density estimate of approximately 20 deer per square km in the green spaces, consisting of a 70% white-tailed deer to 30% mule deer ratio. In larger patches of habitat,
white-tailed deer formed herds ranging from 19 to 45 individuals, with smaller groups of eight to 12 nearby. Mule deer exhibited a more scattered distribution throughout the green belt, often found in smaller herds of three to nine individuals, with the largest group consisting of 18. Moose were less frequently observed, most often found outside of the green belt in nearby neighbourhoods. Notably, surveyed animals displayed no fear or defensive behaviors in response to the drone’s presence. The study was conducted with the generous support of an external grant from RDRN.
A manuscript for publication is in progress by Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) student Kira Weddell.

The next phase of the Red Deer Urban Wildlife Project is now underway, with RDP students in the process of establishing a network of remote cameras within the city. We aim to capture wildlife data using these cameras over a three-year period. This data will be invaluable for a wide range of student research projects which will involve analyzing the temporal and spatial distribution of various wildlife species that inhabit our urban environment and comparing drone ungulate density estimates and remote camera-based estimates. Community members who are interested in “adopting” a camera in a natural area near their residence to assist with monitoring please reach out to sandra.macdougall@rdpolytech.ca.