Home range differences by habitat type of raccoon dogs Nyctereutes procyonoides (Carnivora: Canidae)

From July 2013 to November 2014, this research was conducted to secure baseline data to find long-term preventive measures against epidemics from the analysis of home range and movement characteristics of raccoon dogs, which are known as carriers of zoonosis. Researchers conducted a follow-up study with 12 raccoon dogs, each attached with a Global Positioning System mobile transmitter. Analysis of home range used the minimum convex polygon (MCP) method and kernel density estimation (KDE) with accumulating data of time-based locations. Except for three animals that showed unique behavior, the researchers analyzed nine animals and calculated their average home range. As a result, average home range was 0.48 ± 0.35 km² (MCP method), and KDE result analysis was verified as 0.65 ± 0.66 km² (95%), 0.31 ± 0.35 km² (75%), and 0.23 ± 0.28 km² (50%). Based on the MCP method, acted in range of minimum 0.07 km² and maximum 1.08 km², and the core habitat, KDE 50% level showed activity range in 0.02 km² to 0.37 km². Three individuals of unique behavior were classified into two types. Two individuals moved 10–20 km and settled at a place different from the existing habitat, and one individual kept moving without a regular sphere of influence. Generally, raccoon dogs are not considered to move if they secure their area of influence; animals in urban areas have a wider area of influence than those living in areas with a rich source of food such as forest and agricultural land.