盐城保护区狗獾洞巢的初步研究

本文对苏北盐城保护区６个狗獾洞巢进行了初步研究。结果表明：每个洞巢平均有１２．７个洞口组成,占地面积平均为１９２．１ｍ２。洞径的平均大小为２５．８（±８．１）×３２．３（±１１．８）ｃｍ。洞道口可分为斜向型、垂直型和水平型,分别占总洞口的７７．６％、１１．８％和１０．５％。每个洞巢动物经常用来进出的洞口２～３个,占总洞口数的１９．７％,废弃的洞口占总数的５５．３％,另有２５％洞口偶而使用。狗獾极其敏感,一旦常用洞口有异物即放弃使用,另掘新洞口     

笼养狗獾东北亚种繁殖规律

2013年3~10月,使用红外监控设备对哈尔滨市松北区某狗獾养殖场的24只笼养东北亚种狗獾(Meles meles amurensis)的繁殖行为进行全天候观察记录。狗獾3月末至5月初交配,翌年3月末至4月初产仔,妊娠期长达11~12个月。以往国内文献报道狗獾交配时间主要分布于7~8月,这种交配时间的变化表明其延迟着床的时间可能也存在较大变化。对交配期内全天各时段交配频次的观察发现,交配可在全天任一时间段发生,昼、夜差异不大。交配时长10~110 min,多数交配的时长为60~80 min。观察还发现,狗獾交配期内交配频次和时长具有明显的周期性变化。     

Predicting badger sett numbers: evaluating methods in East Sussex

Abstract. One way in which a species' numbers may be estimated without direct counting is to predict their dispersion and density from more readily available habitat measures, such as landscape variables measured from maps or vegetation variables measured in the field. We compare the power of ordination and regression techniques for predicting badger ( Meles meles L.) numbers at a local scale, using a land class system, map-read landscape variables and field-derived vegetation variables. Sett density was used as a surrogate of badger density. Multiple linear regression using vegetation and landscape variables together gave the most accurate prediction of sett density, while ordination techniques were of lesser value. The addition of vegetation variables to landscape variables did not substantially improve the power of ordination. Outlier Sett Density was predicted more accurately, and by different variables, to Main Sett Density. The relationship between badger ecology and habitat variables that were useful in predicting sett density is discussed.     

Sterilization as an alternative strategy to control wildlife diseases: bovine tuberculosis in European badgers as a case study

Sterilization has rarely been considered as an alternative to culling or vaccination to control wildlife diseases. Disease control by sterilization, as by culling, has most promise when the host'ss ability for compensatory growth following the removal of density-dependent inhibitions is limited, and when moderate reductions in population density cause disproportionately large reductions in disease prevalence, or even eliminate the disease. For many host/disease examples this will not be the case and vaccination may have overwhelming advantages or may be the only practical option. The impact of sterilization on host density and disease prevalence will develop relatively slowly because sterilization can prevent the recruitment of only one age-cohort at a time. Moreover, unless there is vertical transmission, this age-cohort will consist only of susceptibles. Culling, on the contrary, removes infected as well as susceptible animals. However, for certain disease/host examples, the r elative effectiveness of the different control strategies may be altered considerably if their variable effects on the probability of disease transmission are taken into account. Social perturbation or stress could render certain culling strategies ineffective or even counter-productive. Depending on how disease dynamics are influenced by the host'ss age-structure and reproductive investment, fertility control could offer epidemiological advantages that have been ignored by most disease/host models. We illustrate some of these principles by investigating the theoretical and practical feasibility of an hypothetical sterilization campaign to control bovine tuberculosis in badgers (and hence cattle) in Britain.     

Eurasian badger habitat selection in Mediterranean environments: Does scale really matter?

It is widely believed that spatial scale affects habitat selection, and should influence management options, especially for species with wide geographic distribution or large territories. Eurasian badger habitat selection has been well studied throughout most of its European distribution range, but never at multiple spatial scales. We used compositional analysis to assess habitat selection of Eurasian badgers in southern Portugal at four spatial scales (1, 4, 25, and 100 km²). We assessed habitat use from setts, latrines and footprints presence, and road kills. Oak woodlands with understorey were selected at all scales, being the most preferred habitat at 3 scales (1, 4, and 100 km²). Pastures were most selected at the scale of the 25 km² cell, but their use was not significantly different from oak woodland with understorey. Shrubs and pastures were also secondly important at the majority of scales. Contrary to findings at northern latitudes, deciduous forests decreased in importance as cell size increased. In the highly humanized and fragmented landscape of southern Portugal, Eurasian badgers are selecting the matrix of oak woodlands interspersed with patches of pastures, shrubs and riparian vegetation. In these oak woodlands, scale does not have a marked effect. Management for badgers should provide, for at least, 30% of oak woodland cover at all scales. Our study illustrates the across-scale importance of maintaining the historically human altered, sustainable and unique landscape and land use system – the montado.     

Predicting Distribution and Density of European Badger (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Meles Meles</Emphasis>) Setts in Denmark

Predictive models of the spatial distribution and abundance of species based on habitat characteristics are finding increasing use in management and conservation. The European badger attracts interest as a model species both for conservation reasons and because of the important role the species is playing in understanding carnivore sociality. We developed a statistical habitat model based on presence/absence data on badger setts. To maximise the utility of the model in management, we limited the choice of model variables to those that had a clear basis in badger ecology and that could be obtained on a nation-wide digital format. We extrapolated the habitat model to a region in Denmark and developed a threshold-independent sett distribution algorithm to estimate sett densities. The habitat model was simpler than previously published models of badger sett habitat selection, but nevertheless had a predictive ability in excess of 80% judged against independent data. The sett distribution algorithm was able to simultaneously reproduce several observed patterns of sett density and distribution over the probability gradient. It thus represents a significant improvement over threshold-dependent methods used to discriminate between suitable and unsuitable habitat predicted by presence/absence regression models. Our approach demonstrates that a model of badger sett habitat suitability with high predictive power can be obtained using easily accessible map-variables and presence/absence data. This is a prerequisite for using habitat models as predictive tools over large areas. The use of a simple sett distribution algorithm circumvents the common problem of subjectively fixing a threshold to discriminate between suitable and unsuitable habitat. In conjunction the models presented here constitute an important contribution to the management of the badger in Denmark and, upon further validation, possibly to similar regions in Northern Europe.     

上海郊区狗獾活动规律的初步研究

2007年1月～2008年1月在上海郊区奉贤,通过红外监视仪埘狗獾Meles meles活动规律进行了研究.结果表明,狗獾晚间出洞活动,出洞时间集中在19:00～22:00,该时间段出洞次数占总次数的72.7%.返回洞穴的时间集中在凌晨2:00-4:00,该时间段回洞次数占总数的84.5%.狗獾每晚在洞外活动持续时间平均6 h.季节间的活动持续时间存在显著差异,其巾秋季活动持续时间最长达8.23 h,冬季活动持续时间最短为3.11 h.上海郊区生活的狗獾无冬眠行为.