Home Range Estimates and Habitat Use of Siberian Flying Squirrels in South Korea.

Abstract

Simple SummaryThe Siberian flying squirrel is the only flying squirrel species in South Korea, where it is designated a natural heritage and classed as an endangered species. The population of the species is declining worldwide throughout its distribution range. Its ecology has been studied well in different regions, especially in Finland. While several studies have been carried out on Siberian flying squirrels, little is known concerning the species’ spatial ecology in South Korea. In this study, we captured, collared, and tracked 21 animals at Mt. Baekwoon, Gangwon Province, South Korea, to investigate their movement ecology. We obtained home range size and habitat use estimates. The home range size of Siberian flying squirrels differs from those of populations in other regions. They show active movement after sunset as nocturnal species and prefer old mature deciduous forest. Our research provides valuable ecological information on this species that could help in developing management guidelines in South Korea.Conservation measures or management guidelines must be based on species’ ecological data. The home range of the target species was studied to understand its spatial ecology, in order to protect it. The Siberian flying squirrel is the only flying squirrel species present and is considered as a protected species in South Korea. In this study, we investigated the home range, habitat use, and daily movement of Siberian flying squirrels from February 2015 to June 2016 at Mt. Baekwoon, Gangwon Province, South Korea. We tracked 21 flying squirrels using radio transmitters and analyzed the home range of 12 individuals. Flying squirrels appeared to have an overall mean home range of 18.92 ± 14.80 ha with a core area of 3.54 ha ± 3.88 ha. Movement activity peaked between 18:00–19:00 with the longest distance traveled, coinciding with sunset. In addition, we observed the preference of Siberian flying squirrels to the old deciduous forest with dense crowns. The results of the present study indicate that it is important to manage their habitat; for instance, preserving an appropriate size of mature deciduous forest is essential for Siberian flying squirrels. While our study provides needed baseline information on the spatial activity of the species, further research on topics such as the national distribution, behavior, and population dynamics of Siberian flying squirrels is needed in South Korea.