|
چکیده
|
Here we present the first information on home range size, space use and habitat selection for the Endangered Euphrates Softshell Turtle, Rafetus euphraticus, (DAUDIN, 1802) from Karkheh Regulating Dam Lake in southwestern Iran. Fourteen turtles were trapped, including two juveniles and 12 adults, and subsequently fitted with radio tracking transmitters. Each turtle was relocated between 21 and 51 times between May 2011 and July 2012 using very high frequency radio telemetry. Atotal number of 254 fixes was obtained. The mean home range length (LHR) was 2.54 ± 0.83 km. The LHR was variable (CV = 33%) among individuals, but there was no statistically significant relationship between linear home range size and straight carapace length and linear home range size and body mass. The mean river channel area was 55.35 ± 17.98 ha. The mean minimum convex polygon (MCP) home range size was 47.49 ± 23.36 ha and the mean 95 % kernel home range size was 21.75 ± 9.44 ha. Home range overlap was high. On average, individual MCP home ranges overlapped with MCP home ranges of 7.5 other turtles, individual kernel density estimates of home ranges overlapped with those of 7.3 other turtles, and core areas overlapped with those of 5.5 other turtles.
|