New research shows drought conditions drive deer populations to croplands, urban environments – KSL NewsRadio

Report on Drought-Induced Mule Deer Migration in Utah and its Connection to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Drought Conditions and Ecological Stress

Severe and moderate drought conditions persist across most of Utah, presenting significant challenges that align with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The lack of water availability, a direct concern of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), has cascading effects on terrestrial ecosystems, directly impacting SDG 15 (Life on Land). The extreme drought from 2020 to early 2023 severely affected the state’s mule deer population by diminishing natural food and water sources, leading to malnutrition and increased mortality.

Utah State University Research on Deer Movement

A recent study from Utah State University investigated the behavioral response of mule deer to drought conditions. The research utilized advanced satellite imagery to monitor habitat conditions and track animal movements.

• Technology Used: The ECOSTRESS sensor on the International Space Station was employed to measure evapotranspiration, indicating the water content in plants.
• Methodology: Researchers compared deer movements in Sevier, San Juan, and Utah counties during an average water year (2019) and an extreme drought year (2021).
• Key Finding: The study identified a specific low-moisture threshold in natural vegetation that triggers mule deer to abandon their native habitats in search of water-rich alternatives.

Analysis of Habitat Shift and Associated Risks

The data revealed a significant change in habitat utilization by mule deer during acute drought periods, creating conflicts relevant to multiple SDGs.

1. Typical Year Habitat Use:
   • Natural Shrub Habitat: 57%
   • Irrigated Croplands: 6%
2. Drought Year Habitat Use:
   • Natural Shrub Habitat: 44%
   • Irrigated Croplands: 12% (a 100% increase)

This migration toward irrigated and urban landscapes introduces severe risks for the deer, including vehicle collisions, entanglement in fencing, and harassment, which undermines the objectives of SDG 15 to halt biodiversity loss.

Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 15: Life on Land

The degradation of natural habitats due to water scarcity forces wildlife to alter fundamental behaviors, threatening population stability. The increased mortality from both malnutrition and migration-related hazards is a direct setback to protecting terrestrial ecosystems.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

The movement of deer into agricultural areas results in significant crop damage. This directly impacts food producers, threatening local food security and the economic viability of farming operations, which conflicts with the goal of promoting sustainable agriculture.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The influx of wildlife into developed areas increases human-wildlife conflict. This poses safety risks to both human populations and the animals themselves, challenging the goal of creating safe, resilient, and sustainable communities.

Conclusion and Recommendations for Sustainable Management

The research highlights an opportunity to use technology like the ECOSTRESS sensor for proactive wildlife and land management. By predicting when deer are likely to migrate, managers can implement targeted interventions. The primary objective is to minimize human-wildlife conflict and ensure the safety of both people and deer populations, thereby advancing a holistic approach to sustainability.

• Predictive Monitoring: Use satellite data to anticipate wildlife movement based on vegetation moisture levels.
• Proactive Measures: Deploy temporary fencing and other tools to guide wildlife away from high-risk agricultural and urban areas.
• Integrated Strategy: Foster collaboration between wildlife managers, agricultural producers, and urban planners to create solutions that support SDG 2, SDG 11, and SDG 15 simultaneously.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses issues related to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis identifies the following SDGs as being directly or indirectly connected to the content:

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The article mentions that deer migrating to irrigated croplands leads to “crop damage being a costly issue for agricultural producers,” which directly impacts food production and the economic viability of farming.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The core issue driving the events in the article is “Utah’s drought conditions.” This highlights the challenges of water scarcity and its widespread impact on ecosystems and human activities.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The migration of deer brings them into “urban landscaping,” leading to increased risks such as being “hit by cars, caught in fences, chased by dogs and harassed by landowners.” This points to the challenges of managing the interface between urban/developed areas and natural habitats, especially under environmental stress.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article frames the problem within the context of “Utah’s extreme drought from 2020 through early 2023.” Drought is a climate-related hazard, and the article explores the ecological consequences and the need for adaptive management strategies in response to such climate events.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: This is the most central SDG in the article. It focuses on the impact of drought on terrestrial ecosystems, specifically the reduction of “food and habitat options” for mule deer, leading to “deaths from malnutrition” and forced migration. The research aims to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and protect these animal populations.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
   • The article highlights a threat to this target, as drought forces wildlife to damage crops, showing a lack of resilience in the agricultural system to this specific climate-related impact.
2. Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
   • The drought’s effect on natural habitats, causing a drop in plant water content and reducing food options for deer, demonstrates the degradation of a water-related ecosystem that this target aims to prevent.
3. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
   • The article discusses the consequences of a drought (a water-related disaster), including economic losses for farmers (“costly issue for agricultural producers”) and safety risks in communities (deer being hit by cars).
4. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • The research using the ECOSTRESS sensor is presented as a tool to “better predict when deer might be on the hunt” and employ safety measures, which is a direct effort to build adaptive capacity to the effects of drought.
5. Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
   • The article directly addresses the degradation of deer habitat due to drought, which leads to malnutrition and die-offs, threatening the local deer population.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Drought Severity Data: The article explicitly refers to data from the “U.S. Drought Monitor” classifying areas as being in “moderate or severe drought.” This serves as a direct indicator of the prevalence and intensity of water-related disasters.
• Wildlife Population Statistics: The mention of “deer populations” and “large-scale die-offs” implies that wildlife population counts are a key indicator for assessing the health of the ecosystem and the impact of habitat degradation (relevant to Target 15.5).
• Habitat Usage Percentages: The research provides specific data points: during a typical year, deer spent “57% of the time” in shrub habitat and “6% in croplands,” which changed during drought to “44%” and a doubled percentage in croplands. This change in land use by wildlife is a precise indicator of ecosystem stress.
• Plant Moisture Content: The study identified a “specific low” threshold in the “water content of plants” that triggered deer migration. This measurement, obtained via the ECOSTRESS sensor’s evapotranspiration data, is a scientific indicator of habitat quality.
• Incidence of Human-Wildlife Conflict: The article describes conflicts such as deer being “hit by cars,” “caught in fences,” and causing “crop damage.” The frequency and cost of these incidents can be tracked as indicators of the effectiveness of management strategies aimed at minimizing conflict (relevant to Targets 2.4 and 11.5).

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: kslnewsradio.com