Individual variation in migratory and exploratory movements and habitat use by adult red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) in a mountainous temperate forest

Using data from a global positioning system (GPS), seven adult red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) were tracked in the Parc National des Cévennes, southern France, between November 1998 and December 2000 to assess the factors affecting large-range movement patterns and habitat use. The home range varied from a single compact area for females to three distinct seasonal ranges for males, which used alternative migratory strategies (i.e. non-, downward- and upward-migrants). The migrants used mainly southerly and easterly aspects, and wintered in areas having steeper slopes than were used during summer or the rut season. For males, the time of rut migration was mid-September and they finally entered wintering ranges from mid-December to the beginning of January. Exploratory behaviour (i.e. individuals found outside the limits of their familiar area but returning to it a few days later) occurred in both sexes and for all individuals monitored during at least a 6-month period. Velocity and efficiency of exploratory movements were higher than usual movements. During these exploratory movements, hinds may have used different landscape attributes (elevation, slope, canopy cover) while stags did not. These results provide new empirical information that could be used for building and applying broad-scale spatial and landscape use models in ecological research.