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The trend of fencing grassland as livestock paddocks is spreading on the Eurasian steppe, however, its impacts on grassland wildlife are little known. In order to explore such impacts, we carried out a field study on how grassland fencing impacts Przewalski's gazelle ( Procapra przewalskii), a species listed as EN (Endangered) by SSC/IUCN, on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results revealed that (1) in the fenced areas, daily movement distance of Przewalski's gazelle was 5081±1187 m (Hudong-Ketu) and 4110±912 m (Yuanzhe), which was much shorter than the 7223±546 m recorded in an unfenced area (Kuaierma); (2) the feeding bout duration of Przewalski's gazelle was much shorter in the fenced habitat; (3) the frequency of walking along both high or low fence lines reached about 81%; while the frequency of jumping across the low fence line was only about 1.2% and frequency of crawling through the bottom of the high fence lines was about 17.8%; (4) the size of post-fencing habitat decreased to about 20% and 6% of the sizes of pre-fencing habitat in Hudong-Ketu and Yuanzhe areas respectively, but no clear change in the size of habitat area was found in the unfenced Kuaierma area; and (5) the fence lines impaired the possibility of gazelles to escape from predators and occasionally trapped the Przewalski's gazelle which failed to jump over the fence lines. Death occurrence of Przewalski's gazelle in the intensively fenced area, including gazelles strangled by fence lines and predated by wolves, reached 5% of the population size in Yuanzhe and up to 15%-20% in Hudong-Ketu. This study highlights the negative impacts of grassland fencing on Przewalski's gazelle and proposes measures for integrating conservation of this gazelle with livestock management practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Przewalski's gazelle Procapra przewalskii is an endangered species endemic to China. A question remains about subspecific variation in this species. Skulls of Przewalski's gazelle collected from its current remnant ranges around the Qinghai Lake in combination with those collected prior to the 20th century were measured and analyzed using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis in order to clarify the question. Unexpectedly, P. p. diversicornis, extirpated from its historic range, has spread to the Qinghai Lake region where it has replaced nominotypical P. p. przewalskii and is now restricted to a few small isolated populations around the lake. We discuss the causes of this unexpected replacement. In this study, we discuss the possibility of a new form, possibly a new subspecies, in the Guide Basin, adjacent to Qinghai Lake; it is unclear whether the new form has long existed and was only discovered in recent years, or whether it evolved in recent times due to the geographical isolation and anthropogenic landscape features. The study sheds light on the processes of microevolution and subspeciation in Procapra przewalskii, and based on the findings, we propose measures for conservation strategies for Przewalski's gazelle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which recommended some indices for measuring the intensity of aggregation and sexual segregation in animals. Methodology; Results; Discussion.

Badgers were hypothesized as an earthworm specialist predator. We reviewed spatial patterns and food habits of the Eurasian badger ( Meles spp.) in relation to geographical variables like latitude, elevation, aspects, and environmental variables, such as temperature, snow cover depth, precipitation, primary productivity, and human influence. The relative frequencies of occurrence of food items in the diets of badgers in 19 studies across 22 localities worldwide were included in the analysis plus the data from our study on the badger diet on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to extract the main components of dietary composition. Multiple regression analysis was applied to reveal the relationship between trophic diversity and the main PCA factors and biogeographical variables. We found a clear latitudinal gradient in the dietary composition of badgers, which was characterized by a greater consumption of insects and reptile in southern area and a higher intake of earthworm in northern regions. Nevertheless, badgers are not an earthworm specialist predator. Furthermore, trophic diversity of badger diets was significantly positively correlated with latitude and human activity. Abundance and availability of foods appear to determine badger foraging tactics. Badgers are adept in exploiting local resources and our results confirm that badgers are generalist predators with opportunistic foraging behavior across their entire distribution range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]