IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Jedrzejewski, W.; Schmidt, K.; Okarma, H.; Kowalczyk, R. | |
| Movement pattern and home range use by the Eurasian lynx in Bialowieza Primeval Forest (Poland) | |
| 2002 Annales Zoologici Fennici (39): 29-41 | |
The movement patterns of free-living lynx, _Lynx lynx_ were studied by radio-telemetry in Bialowieza Primeval Forest, Poland. Eighteen lynx were fitted with radio-collars and their movements were recorded by continuous 24-h sequences and daily relocations. On average, lynx moved 7.2 km per day, and males covered longer distances than females (9.0 and 6.8 km, respectively). In males the daily movement distances were 56% longer during the mating season (January-March) than during the rest of the year. Females moved 43% longer distances during the period of intensive care for kittens (May-August) than in other periods. Males covered longer routes than females and stayed far from the location of the previous day. Females' movements were more concentrated as they moved intensively but stayed close to the previous day's location. The lynx travelled with an average speed of 1.2 km/h with males moving faster than females(1.5 and 1.0 km/h, respectively). Males travelled even faster (on average 1.9 km/h) during the mating season. During a day lynx utilised an area comprising only 1.7%-2.6% of their annual home range. The home ranges were used with rather low intensity (31 to 50 m of lynx route per 1 km2 of home range), still lower in males than in females. The lynx moved the longest distances (14 km/day, on average) on days when they failed to kill large prey, and the shortest ones(2.8 km/day) on the first day after making a kill.The results suggest that males tend to maximise their reproductive success by increasing an opportunity to meet receptive females, whereas females increase their reproductive success via adjusting their behaviour to the needs of kittens. |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |