The Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) is considered the most critically endangered crocodilian as a result of the near total loss of its habitat and its extremely small and fragmented wild populations. Plans for ...The Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) is considered the most critically endangered crocodilian as a result of the near total loss of its habitat and its extremely small and fragmented wild populations. Plans for population recovery lie mostly with wetland res- toration and the reintroduction of captive-reared animals. We carried out a first-trial release of 3 adult Chinese alligators (1♂, 2♀) into a pond at the Hongxing conservation site, Xuancheng, southern Anhui Province; the animals were radio-tracked from May to October in 2003. We hypothesized that after a period of adaptation, the alligators would establish definable home ranges. Two (1♂, 1♀) of the 3 alligators were monitored for the whole of the tracking period. The male had an annual home-range size of 7.61 hm2, and the female 4.00 hm2. Water temperature and pond water level were two important factors influencing the alligators' distributions, and daily movements. The radio-tracked alligators had overlapping home ranges, which notably included the one substantial island in the pond; that island is the only known nesting site of the local native wild alligators. Aggressive interactions between the released alligators and native wild alligators were observed during the breeding season around this island. All the three reintroduced alligators survived the winter of 2003 and were alive in the same pond in 2008. We concluded that the Hongxing conservation site provided a suitable habitat for the reintroduced alligators. However, the low water level in the pond resulting from farmland irrigation in August and September can be a substantial threat to the alligators' survival. Therefore, regu- lations on irrigation in summer and autumn are needed to balance the water needs of the alligators and agriculture.展开更多
Nonlethal human recreational activities have been confirmed to have negative effect on wild animals in a number of ways,including changes in behaviors,avoidance of suitable habitats and declines in breeding success.St...Nonlethal human recreational activities have been confirmed to have negative effect on wild animals in a number of ways,including changes in behaviors,avoidance of suitable habitats and declines in breeding success.Studies on the anti-disturbance mechanism of wild animals to human disturbance can provide valuable knowledge to the management of wild animals and the evolutionary mechanisms of behavioral adaptation to their habitats.To evaluate how blue sheep(Pseudois nayaur) would react to nonlethal human recreational disturbance,we studied their anti-disturbance strategy towards human disturbance in Suyukou National Forest Park(SNFP),Helan Mountains,Yinchuan of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.Using multinomial logistic regression models(MLRMs),we sought to answer two questions:(1) which kind of human recreational behavior would evoke the most serious anti-disturbance behaviors in blue sheep;and(2) how would various ecological factors influence the anti-disturbance strategy of blue sheep to human recreational disturbance? We collected 10 habitat and population variables and evaluated three kinds of reaction of blue sheep-no response,vigilance and flight.A total of 921 observations qualified to enter MLRMs.We found that habitat type(HT),gender(GEN),head direction(HD),visibility index(VI),and disturbance source(DS) were the five variables that significantly influenced the intensity of reactions of blue sheep.Blue sheep were more alert to tourists than to vehicles,and roads were the habitat type that caused the most intensive reaction of alertness where human disturbance was the highest.Females were more vigilant than males.Blue sheep might feel safer when staying in open habitat,and taking a front head direction provided them with the highest vigilance.Based on these results,we present suggestions to SNFP for the management of ecotourism and blue sheep conservation.展开更多
基金Technically and finan-cially supported by the World Conservation Society (WCS)
文摘The Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) is considered the most critically endangered crocodilian as a result of the near total loss of its habitat and its extremely small and fragmented wild populations. Plans for population recovery lie mostly with wetland res- toration and the reintroduction of captive-reared animals. We carried out a first-trial release of 3 adult Chinese alligators (1♂, 2♀) into a pond at the Hongxing conservation site, Xuancheng, southern Anhui Province; the animals were radio-tracked from May to October in 2003. We hypothesized that after a period of adaptation, the alligators would establish definable home ranges. Two (1♂, 1♀) of the 3 alligators were monitored for the whole of the tracking period. The male had an annual home-range size of 7.61 hm2, and the female 4.00 hm2. Water temperature and pond water level were two important factors influencing the alligators' distributions, and daily movements. The radio-tracked alligators had overlapping home ranges, which notably included the one substantial island in the pond; that island is the only known nesting site of the local native wild alligators. Aggressive interactions between the released alligators and native wild alligators were observed during the breeding season around this island. All the three reintroduced alligators survived the winter of 2003 and were alive in the same pond in 2008. We concluded that the Hongxing conservation site provided a suitable habitat for the reintroduced alligators. However, the low water level in the pond resulting from farmland irrigation in August and September can be a substantial threat to the alligators' survival. Therefore, regu- lations on irrigation in summer and autumn are needed to balance the water needs of the alligators and agriculture.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30970371 and 31071944)the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-08-0753)the Optional Project of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (2011-017)
文摘Nonlethal human recreational activities have been confirmed to have negative effect on wild animals in a number of ways,including changes in behaviors,avoidance of suitable habitats and declines in breeding success.Studies on the anti-disturbance mechanism of wild animals to human disturbance can provide valuable knowledge to the management of wild animals and the evolutionary mechanisms of behavioral adaptation to their habitats.To evaluate how blue sheep(Pseudois nayaur) would react to nonlethal human recreational disturbance,we studied their anti-disturbance strategy towards human disturbance in Suyukou National Forest Park(SNFP),Helan Mountains,Yinchuan of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.Using multinomial logistic regression models(MLRMs),we sought to answer two questions:(1) which kind of human recreational behavior would evoke the most serious anti-disturbance behaviors in blue sheep;and(2) how would various ecological factors influence the anti-disturbance strategy of blue sheep to human recreational disturbance? We collected 10 habitat and population variables and evaluated three kinds of reaction of blue sheep-no response,vigilance and flight.A total of 921 observations qualified to enter MLRMs.We found that habitat type(HT),gender(GEN),head direction(HD),visibility index(VI),and disturbance source(DS) were the five variables that significantly influenced the intensity of reactions of blue sheep.Blue sheep were more alert to tourists than to vehicles,and roads were the habitat type that caused the most intensive reaction of alertness where human disturbance was the highest.Females were more vigilant than males.Blue sheep might feel safer when staying in open habitat,and taking a front head direction provided them with the highest vigilance.Based on these results,we present suggestions to SNFP for the management of ecotourism and blue sheep conservation.
