an experiment was conducted to show how captivity would affect the deer's behavior and survival rate. two areas were created; one with a large area containing a few père david's deer present and one with a small area containing a high concentration of père david's deer present. it was found when in captivity, it is best to keep the deer in large open areas that allow for adequate space with a reasonable number of individual deer living in the area; if put in a small area with a multitude of individuals present, stress amongst the deer will build up. studies have shown through the high concentration of fecal matter in an area of captivity with limited space and a large number of père david deer that they have shown different behavioral patterns to their wild counterparts. these deer would spend less time resting, and would stand longer due to human presence as well as display social aggression and competition over food sources. it is therefore unwise to keep them in small, densely populated areas to prevent accumulation of stress and aggression against each other.