Home Range and Population Density of Formosan Ferret Badger (Melogale moschata subaurantiaca) along Da'an River

• Main Authors: Chiang, Chieh-An, 蔣杰安
• Other Authors: Weng, Guo-Jing
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/00824885879671898736

碩士 === 國立屏東科技大學 === 野生動物保育研究所 === 104 === As the growing of urbanization, the zoonotic disease spread around due to the frequently contact between humans and animals. Rabies was absent in Taiwan for more than fifty years from 1961 to 2013. On July 16, 2013 a rabies case was found in Formosan ferret badger (Melogate moschata subaurantiaca). Until June 30, 2016, there were 550 cases of ferret badger rabies located in 76 townships in 9 counties. All cases occurred in the south of Da-an River. Formosan ferret badger is an endemic subspecies of Taiwan. They adapt to the areas with human activities such as agricultural lands and low hills. Frequent contact between ferret badgers and humans or pets is unavoidable. In order to provide information for epidemic control, this research investigate the home rang size, moving distance and movement across Da-an River of the ferret badger populations on both sides of Da-an River. This research also tried to estimate the ferret badger's population density by identifying facial patterns of ferret badger. This research radio-tracked 10 ferret badgers during November 2014 and March 2015 in Houli, Taichung and Sanyi and Liyutan, Miaoli. The home range size was from 2.73 hectares to 23.56 hectares, with an average of 8.96 hectares (SD = 6.15 hectares). The average of daily distancement was 31 meters (SD = 34 meters). The average of daily moving distance was 472 meters (SD = 236 meters), with a maximum of 977 meters. During the study period, none of the radio-tracked individuals cross the Da-an River. This research also set up cameras traps in Baguali Mountain, Shitan, Miaoli during November 2015 and June 2016. Ferret badger were identified by their facial patterns and capture-mark-recapture method was used to estimate population density. The estimated population density was 8.16 and 10.21 per square kilometer by using front view and side view of the facial patterns, respectively. The identification rate for ferret badgers in Taiwan was about 81.28% and 75% for individuals in Shitan.