Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica) Neonatal Kid Survival and Morphometric Measurements in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia
Understanding the factors infl uencing survival of ungulate neonates facilitates successful management programs, particularly as they relate to population dynamics and adaptive species management. However, kid survival of near threatened Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica) remains poorly understood. D...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
National University of Mongolia
2017-05-01
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| Series: | Mongolian Journal of Biological Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://mjbs.num.edu.mn/uploads/files/MJBS%20Volume%2015%20Number%201-2%20December%202017/PDF/mjbs-15,23-30-otgonbayar-2017.pdf |
| Summary: | Understanding the factors infl uencing survival of ungulate neonates facilitates
successful management programs, particularly as they relate to population dynamics
and adaptive species management. However, kid survival of near threatened Siberian
ibex (Capra sibirica) remains poorly understood. During 2005-2013, we captured
and collared 21 ibex kids in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in southeastern Mongolia,
to monitor their survival and cause-specifi c mortality. We found no diff erences in
morphometric measurements between male and female kids, except body mass
being males weighing more than females. A total of 11 mortalities were documented
and predations by red foxes (n=5, Vulpes vulpes) and grey wolf (n=1, Canis lupus)
was the leading cause of the mortalities. Known fate models indicate the monthly
survival of kids best explained by body mass and fi rst month of life (April-May +
weight). Monthly survival estimates ranged from 0.077 (95% CI = 0.60-0.88) in
April-May to 0.97 (95% CI = 0.90-0.99) in June-March, with an annual survival rate
of 0.45 (95% CI = 0.24-0.68). We found little support for the hypotheses that body
mass or birth date infl uenced survival; however, our small sample size limited the
power of the analyses. Overall, our results indicated that predation and other factors
led to high kid mortality during the period shortly after birth |
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| ISSN: | 1684-3908 2225-4994 |