Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology (한국환경생태학회지)

Korean Society of Environment and Ecology (한국환경생태학회)
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Population Size and Home Range Estimates of Domestic Cats (Felis catus) on Mara Islet, Jeju, in the Republic of Korea

제주 마라도에 서식하는 고양이(Felis catus)의 개체군 크기 및 행동권 추정

  • Kim, Yujin (Animal Resources Division, National Institute of Biological Resources) ;
  • Lee, Woo-Shin (Deptartment of Forest Sciences, Seoul National University) ;
  • Choi, Chang-Yong (Research Insititute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2019.08.29
  • Accepted : 2020.02.07
  • Published : 2020.02.28
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Abstract

Domestic cats (Felis catus) introduced to insular environments can be invasive predators that often threaten endemic species and cause biodiversity loss or local extinction on the island. This study was conducted from March to July 2018 to understand the population size, home range, and spatial use of cats introduced to Mara Islet (N 33° 07', E 126° 16') in Jeju Special Governing Province, the Republic of Korea. Observation records based on their natural marks revealed that there were 20 adult cats on Mara Islet. A capture-recapture method also estimated 20 adult individuals (95% confidence interval: 20-24 individuals). According to our telemetry study on ten adults deployed with GPS-based telemetry units, the home range size was 12.05±6.99 ha (95% KDE: kernel density estimation), and the core habitat size was 1.60±0.77 ha (50% KDE). There were no significant differences in the home range and core habitat sizes by sex. The home range of domestic cats overlapped with the human residential area, where they might secure easy foods. Five of ten tracked cats were active at potential breeding colonies for the Crested Murrlet (Synthliboramphus wumizusume), and six approached potential breeding areas of the Styan's Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella pleskei), suggesting the predation risk of the two endangered species by cats. This study provides novel information on the population size and home range of introduced cats on Mara Islet which is an important stopover site of migratory birds as well as a breeding habitat of the two endangered avian species. Reducing the potential negative impacts of the introduced cats on migratory birds and the endangered species on Mara Islet requires monitoring of the predation rate of birds by cats, the population trends of cats and endangered breeding birds as well as the effective cat population control and management.

섬에 유입된 고양이(Felis catus)는 외래 포식자로서 섬 고유종의 멸종이나 절멸, 생물 다양성 감소 등의 직접적인 요인으로 작용할 수 있다. 본 연구는 제주도의 부속섬인 마라도(N 33° 07', E 126° 16')에 유입되어 서식하는 고양이의 개체군 현황과 행동권, 서식지 이용특성을 파악하기 위해 실시되었다. 2018년 3월부터 2018년 7월까지 직접관찰과 포획-재포획법을 통해 개체수 추정 결과, 번식 가능한 성체 총 20마리를 확인하였다. 이 중 10마리에 GPS 무선추적장치를 부착하여 추적한 결과 고양이의 행동권 크기는 12.05±6.99 ha (95% KDE: kernel density estimation), 핵심서식지 크기는 1.60±0.77 ha (50% KDE)로 나타났다. 성별에 따른 행동권과 핵심서식지의 크기는 통계적으로 유의하지 않았고, 10마리 중 8마리가 먹이획득이 쉬운 인간 거주지역을 핵심서식지로 이용하였다. 또한 마라도에 번식하는 멸종위기종인 뿔쇠오리(Synthliboramphus wumizusume)의 번식지에 5마리, 섬개개비(Locustella pleskei)의 번식지에 6마리가 접근하는 것을 각각 확인하였다. 본 연구는 마라도의 고양이 개체수와 행동권에 대한 정보를 최초로 파악하였으며, 특히 고양이 행동권 분석을 통해 철새와 멸종위기종에 대한 가해 가능성을 제시하였다. 철새와 멸종위기 조류의 서식지인 마라도에서 발생할 수 있는 고양이의 피해를 줄이기 위해 향후 고양이의 포식압, 고양이와 멸종위기 조류 개체군의 변동에 대한 모니터링에 관한 연구와 함께, 필요시 고양이 개체군 관리방안을 마련할 필요가 있을 것으로 판단된다.

Keywords

References

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