DETERMINATION OF HOME RANGE SIZE AND HABITAT SELECTION OF GAZELLES (Gazella subgutturosa) BY GPS TELEMETRY IN ŞANLIURFA A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY MUSTAFA DURMUŞ IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCES IN BIOLOGY FEBRUARY 2010 Approval of the thesis: DETERMINATION OF HOME RANGE SIZE AND HABITAT SELECTION OF GAZELLES (Gazella subgutturosa) BY GPS TELEMETRY IN ŞANLIURFA submitted by MUSTAFA DURMUŞ in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Techinical University by, Prof. Dr. Canan ÖZGEN Dean, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences Prof. Dr. Musa DOĞAN Head of Department, Biological Sciences, METU Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meral KENCE Supervisor, Department of Biological Sciences, METU Examining Committee Members: Prof. Dr. Musa DOĞAN Department of Biological Sciences, METU Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meral KENCE Department of Biological Sciences, METU Assoc. Prof. Dr. C. Can BİLGİN Department of Biological Sciences, METU Assist. Prof. Dr. Şükrü GÜRLER Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Harran University Assist. Prof. Dr. Tolga KANKILIÇ Department of Biology, Aksaray University Date: 05.02.2010 I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last Name: Mustafa DURMUġ Signature: iii ABSTRACT DETERMINATION OF HOME RANGE SIZE AND HABITAT SELECTION OF GAZELLES (Gazella subgutturosa) BY GPS TELEMETRY IN ġANLIURFA DurmuĢ, Mustafa M. Sc., Department of Biological Sciences Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meral Kence February 2010, 121 pages Goitered gazelle is one of the threatened species of Turkey living in only ġanlıurfa region. In this study, goitered gazelles have been released to their previous habitat in ġanlıurfa-Suruç region and seven of females were collared with GPS collars. These individuals were monitored for a year and their seasonal habitat selection and home range sizes are determined by using location data recorded on the collars. In addition to 4 seasons of the year, home range and habitat selection are estimated for mating and calving periods. Also, summer period is divided to two as summer1 and summer 2 because of changing availability of water resources in study area. Seasonal home range sizes of GPS collared gazelles are estimated as average 3.61 ± 0.47 km2 for winter, 3.96 ± 0.44 km2 for spring, 4.55 ± 1.35 km2 for summer1, 2.26 ± 0.20 km2 for summer2, 3.38 ± 0.44 km2 for autumn, 1.37 ± 0.50 km2 for mating season, and 1.66 ± 0.50 km2 for calving season. iv Seven habitat variable layers were prepared for the evaluation of seasonal habitat selection of GPS collared female gazelles. Gazelles were selected east aspects in summer and west aspects in winter seasons and, north and flat aspects were avoided in all seasons for a year. Water can be considered the key habitat variable for the goitered gazelles. The results show that some home ranges are outside of the protected area and gazelles do not use large areas in the protected area. In order to improve conservation of gazelles, protected area should be re-arranged and shifted to more intensely used areas by gazelles. Keywords: Home Range Size, Habitat Selection, GPS Telemetry, Gazella subgutturosa v ÖZ ġANLIURFA’DA CEYLANLARIN (Gazella subgutturosa) YAġAM ALANI BÜYÜKLÜĞÜ VE HABĠTAT SEÇĠMLERĠNĠN GPS TELEMETRĠ ĠLE BELĠRLENMESĠ DurmuĢ, Mustafa Yüksek Lisans, Biyoloji Bölümü Tez Yöneticisi: Doç. Dr. Meral Kence ġubat 2010, 121 sayfa Kursaklı ceylan, Türkiye’de tehdit altında olan sadece ġanlıurfa bölgesinde yaĢamakta olan türlerden birisidir. Bu çalıĢmada, kursaklı ceylanlar eski yaĢam alanları olan ġanlıurfa-Suruç bölgesine serbest bırakılmıĢ ve diĢilerin yedi tanesine GPSli tasma takılmıĢtır. Bu bireyler bir yıl boyunca takip edilmiĢ ve tasmalara kaydedilen coğrafi konum verileri kullanılarak mevsimsel habitat seçimleri ve yaĢam alanı büyüklükleri belirlenmiĢtir. Yılın 4 mevsimine ek olarak çiftleĢme ve yavrulama dönemleri için de yaĢam alanı büyüklüğü ve habitat seçimleri tahmin edilmiĢtir. Ayrıca, su kaynağı varlığının değiĢmesi nedeniyle, yaz dönemi yaz1 ve yaz2 olmak üzere ikiye ayrılmıĢtır. GPS tasmalı ceylanların mevsimsel yaĢam alanı büyüklükleri kıĢ için ortalama 3.61 ± 0.47 km2, ilkbahar için .96 ± 0.44 km2, yaz1 için 4.55 ± 1.35 km2 , yaz2 için 2.26 ± 0.20 km2, sonbahar için 3.38 ± 0.44 km2, çiftleĢme dönemi için 1.37 ± 0.50 km2, ve yavrulama dönemi için 1.66 ± 0.50 km2 olarak tahmin edilmiĢtir. vi GPS tasmalı diĢi ceylanların mevsimsel habitat seçimlerini değerlendirmek için, yedi habitat değiĢkeni katmanı hazırlanmıĢtır. Ceylanlar bir yıl boyunca yaz mevsimi için doğu, kıĢ için batı bakılarını seçmiĢ, ve, kuzey ve düz bakılardan kaçınmıĢtır. Su, kursaklı ceylanlar için anahtar habitat değiĢkeni olarak düĢünülebilir. Sonuçlar bazı GPS tasmalı kursaklı ceylanların yaĢam alanlarının koruma alanının dıĢında kaldığını ve ceylanların koruma alanı içindeki geniĢ bölgeleri kullanılmadıklarını göstermiĢtir. Ceylanların korunmasını iyileĢtirmek için, koruma alanı yeniden düzenlemeli ve ceylanların daha yoğun kullandıkları alanlara kaydırılmalıdır. Anahtar Kelimeler: YaĢam Alanı Büyüklüğü, Habitat Seçimi, GPS Telemetri, Gazella subgutturosa vii To my family viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I specially thank to my supervisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meral Kence for her kindly supports, advices and encouragements throughout the project. I also thank to Prof. Dr. Aykut Kence who was sincerely interested in my problems and did not withold his help. I also would like to thank to Assist. Prof. Dr. ġükrü Gürler for his admirable field efforts, supports and hosting and Assit. Prof. Dr. Faruk Bozkaya for all his help. I want to thank to Aziz Emre Çobanoğlu. I have never walked alone for seven years. His friendship and assistance were very important for me both during and before the project, and will be. I do not know how to express my appreciation to Dr. Deniz Özüt. He was always with me for many years and I have learned too many things from him. He helped me anytime I need. Thank you Deniz for everything. I would like to thank Mert Elverici, Lütfiye Özdirek, and Assist. Prof. Tolga Kankılıç for their sincere friendship and support. I want also thank to Seda Emel Tek, Semra Yalçın, Burak Akbaba, and Emrah Özel for their friendships and support. I thank to Assoc. Prof. Dr. C. Can Bilgin, Sargun Tont and Prof. Dr. Meryem Beklioğlu Yerli for their support and guidance. I want to thank to Mert Kükrer and undergraduate students of Harran University for their helps in field studies. The last thanks for my family for their support, understanding and patience, and are for my brother Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu for his precious friendship. ix This study was supported by the TÜBĠTAK Project No: 107T175, Turkish Directorate of Nature Protection and National Parks, and METU-BAP. x TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT………………………………………………………….……………...iv ÖZ………………………………………………………………….…………..…….vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………..………………….………viii TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………...…..xi LIST OF TABLES…………………………..…………………………….………..xiv LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………….…………..xvi LIST OF BOXES…………………………..………………..…………..……..…xviii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION…………….…………………………………...…………..…...1 1.1. Conservation Status and Taxonomy of Gazella subgutturosa………………1 1.2. Worldwide Distribution and Threats Faced by Goitered Gazelle………..….5 1.3. Recent Conditions of Goitered Gazelle in The Countries They Inhabit, Local Threats and Conservation………………………………..…………………..7 1.3.1 G. s. marica……………………..……………………………...…8 1.3.1.1 Yemen…………………………………………………9 1.3.1.2 Oman…………………………………………………..9 1.3.1.3 United Arab Emirates………………………..………..9 1.3.1.4 Qatar…………………………..……………..………10 1.3.1.5 Bahrain……………………………………………….10 1.3.1.6 Saudi Arabia………………………………………....10 1.3.1.7 Jordan……………………………………………..…11 1.3.1.8 Kuwait ……………………………………………….11 1.3.1.9 Syria …………………………………....................…11 1.3.1.10 Iraq ………….……...…………………...............…..12 1.3.2 G. s. subgutturosa…………………...............................………..13 1.3.2.1 Syria………………………………………………….14 1.3.2.2 Iraq……………………………………………...……14 xi 1.3.2.3 Iran……………………………………………….…..14 1.3.2.4 Armenia…………………………………………...…15 1.3.2.5 Azerbaijan…………………………………………....15 1.3.2.6 Georgia…………………………………………...….15 1.3.2.7 Pakistan………………………………………………15 1.3.2.8 Afghanistan…………………………………………..16 1.3.2.9 Turkmenistan………….……………………….…….16 1.3.2.10 Uzbekistan…………………………………………..16 1.3.2.11 Kazakhstan………………………………………..…16 1.3.2.12 Tajikistan……………………………………...…….17 1.3.2.13 Kyrgyzstan……………………………………….….17 1.3.2.14 China………………………………………….……..17 1.3.2.15 Mongolia………………………………………...…..18 1.3.3 G. s. hillieriana and G. s. yarkandensis……………..…………..18 1.4. Distribution History of G. s. subgutturosa in Turkey, and Local Threats….18 1.5. Conservation Actions in Turkey……………………………………………20 1.6. Description of G. s. subgutturosa……………………………….………….21 1.7. Ecology, Social Organization, Ontogeny and Behaviour…..………...…….22 1.8. Supplementation, Re-introduction and Captive Breeding …………...….....26 1.9. Home Range ………..…………………………………………………...…29 1.10. Habitat Selection …………………...………………………………….….34 1.11. The Use of GIS in Ecology ……………………………………….………38 1.12. The Aims of The Present Study…………………………………..……….38 2 MATERIAL AND METHODS………………………….……...……………...…39 2.1 Study