engleski

Analysis of wild cat's (Felis sivestris silvestris l.) preference to the habitat types (by NCH) in the Bilogora mountain, Croatia

Two individuals of wildcat have been tagged with a VHF collar and tracked by telemetry in Croatia to date. The female, Bela was tagged on the slopes of Bilogora in March 2013 and was tracked for 173 days. The male Felix was collared in the lowlands area of Bilogora in July 2014 and was monitored for 238 days. Their location was determined by a triangulation method during regular patrolling of the terrain. The movement was analysed and the index of wildcat’s habitat preference (the ratio of the time wildcat spent in certain habitats and the presence of these habitats in their home range) (by National Classification of habitats) was calculated. According to the habitat preference index, Bela preferred mosaics of cultivated areas (I.2.1, 4.04), mixed oak-hornbeam forests and hornbeam forests (E.3.1, 1.27), Central European neutrophilous to acidophilous, mezophilous beech forests (E.4.1, 0.74) and heavily cultivated arable lands (I.3.1, 0.55). Felix preferred heavily cultivated arable lands (I.3.1, 1.28) and mosaics of cultivated areas (I.2.1, 1.25). Although mixed oak-hornbeam forests and hornbeam forests (E.3.1, 58.33%) prevail in Felix’s home range, its habitat preference index to this type of habitat was only 0.97. Results of this research contribute to more effective protection of this strictly protected animal, i.e. to the protection of habitats that are necessary for its survival.

wildcat ; Felis silvestris silvestris L. ; telemetry ; habitat preference ; Croatia

nije evidentirano