Movement and dispersal of a habitat specialist in human-dominated landscapes: a case study of the red panda

Abstract

Background Habitat specialists living in human-dominated landscapes are likely to be affected by habitat fragmentation and human disturbances more than generalists. But there is a paucity of information on their response to such factors. We examined the effect of these factors on movement patterns of red pandas Ailurus fulgens, a habitat and diet specialist that inhabits the eastern Himalaya. Methods We equipped 10 red pandas (six females, four males) with GPS collars and monitored them from September 2019 to March 2020 in Ilam, eastern Nepal. We collected habitat and disturbance data over four seasons. We considered geophysical covariates, anthropogenic factors and habitat fragmentation metrics, and employed linear -mixed models and logistic regression to evaluate the effect of those variables on movement patterns. Results The median daily distance travelled by red pandas was 756 m. Males travelled nearly 1.5 times further than females (605 m). Males and sub-adults travelled more in the mating season while females showed no seasonal variation for their daily distance coverage. Red pandas were relatively more active during dawn and morning than the rest of the day, and they exhibited seasonal variation in distance coverage on the diel cycle. Both males and females appeared to be more active in the cub-rearing season, yet males were more active in the dawn in the birthing season. Two sub-adult females dispersed an average of 21 km starting their dispersal with the onset of the new moon following the winter solstice. The single subadult male did not disperse. Red pandas avoided roads, small-habitat patches and large unsuitable areas between habitat patches. Where connected habitat with high forest cover was scarce the animals moved more directly than when habitat was abundant. Conclusions Our study indicates that this habitat specialist is vulnerable to human disturbances and habitat fragmentation. Habitat restoration through improving functional connectivity may be necessary to secure the long-term conservation of specialist species in a human-dominated landscape. Regulation of human activities should go in parallel to minimize disturbances during biologically crucial life phases. We recommend habitat zonation to limit human activities and avoid disturbances, especially livestock herding and road construction in core areas.

Seasonal resource selection of an arboreal habitat specialist in a human-dominated landscape: A case study using red panda

“…The major objective of this study was to evaluate the roles of geo-physical, vegetation, and disturbance covariates on seasonal resource selection patterns of red pandas in a human-dominated landscape. Given their low ecological plasticity, and seasonal variation in movement ( Yonzon 1989 ; Reid et al 1991 ; Zhang et al 2009 ; Bista et al 2021b ) and space use patterns ( Yonzon 1989 ; Reid et al 1991 ; Bista et al 2022a ), we hypothesized a different degree of response to geo-physical, vegetation, and disturbance variables across seasons. We predicted that vegetation-related variables would be more important determinants of habitat utilization than geo-physical variables (such as elevation, aspect, slope, topographic position index [TPI], solar radiation, and water).…”

Movement ecology of an endangered mesopredator in a mining landscape

“…This supports the suggestion that mine sites contain fewer resources or are riskier than favoured rocky habitat, where energy expenditure was lower—probably due to more resting or foraging behaviours there. Other small mammals show similar negative behavioural responses to anthropogenic habitats, by increasing speed [ 174 ] or tortuous movements [ 9 ]. Lower resources in mining habitats may force quolls to either traverse these areas quickly or use more energy to find food and shelter, increasing their overall food requirements [ 175 ].…”

Space use, interaction and recursion in a solitary specialized herbivore: a red panda case study

“…However, we found that the males occupied a relatively smaller range during the mating season. Nevertheless, the movement rate of males was high in that season, which reflects their increased effort to find mating partners and deter competing males (Bista et al 2021b). Patrolling a large home range inflates the energetic cost of movement (Jetz et al 2004, Tucker et al 2014, and animals may be reluctant to increase the range size if the cost of expanding the home range is not compensated by energy gains (McLoughlin & Ferguson 2000).…”

“…Red pandas travelled long distances during the mating season, which indicates that they spend more time on the ground than in any other seasons (Bista et al 2021b). As predation risk is relatively high on the ground, they may have selected the low lunar photoperiod, as the predation risk during darker nights is lower (Pratas-Santiago et al 2017).…”