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29 May 2019 Habitat utilization and release-site fidelity of translocated captive-bred giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
Hongmin Zhu, Biao Yang, Ke He, Jing Qing, Zejun Zhang, Kan Zhang, Bo Tang, Zhisong Yang, Qiang Dai, Xiaodong Gu, Xuyu Yang, Yan Huang, Desheng Li, Hemin Zhang
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Abstract

The behavioural adaptation (movement and habitat utilization) of translocated organisms to a new environment after their release is crucial in translocation programs because it may affect survival. Therefore, identifying the factors determining habitat selection by the relocated animals is essential to improving the planning and the outcome of such programs. Using the data from three relocated giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), we studied the habitat utilization, release-site fidelity, and interaction with resident giant pandas. The results showed that the quality of habitat used by the relocated giant pandas was significantly higher than the average habitat quality of the research region, and was significantly lower than that used by resident giant pandas. This suggested that the released three giant pandas had habitat selection abilities. The three released giant pandas gradually moved away from their release sites and did not exhibit site fidelity. In the first six months, the giant pandas stayed within about 3 km of their release sites, where habitat was good quality but overlapped with the distribution of resident giant pandas. The overlap of location between released and resident giant pandas decreased after six months when the released giant pandas moved away from their release sites.

Hongmin Zhu, Biao Yang, Ke He, Jing Qing, Zejun Zhang, Kan Zhang, Bo Tang, Zhisong Yang, Qiang Dai, Xiaodong Gu, Xuyu Yang, Yan Huang, Desheng Li, and Hemin Zhang "Habitat utilization and release-site fidelity of translocated captive-bred giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)," Folia Zoologica 68(2), 86-94, (29 May 2019). https://doi.org/10.25225/fozo.072.2019
Received: 24 October 2018; Accepted: 13 March 2019; Published: 29 May 2019
KEYWORDS
acclimation
interaction
movement
spread
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