Morphometric analyses of non-invasive fecal samples of the Korean long-tailed goral (Naemorhedus caudatus) for species and age identification
Kim, B.J., National Institute of Ecology, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea | Choi, T.Y., National Institute of Ecology, Chuncheongnam-do, Republic of Korea | Park, G., Green Korea United, Seoul, Republic of Korea | Lee, H., Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea | Lee, J.M., National Institute of Ecology, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea | Choi, S., National Institute of Ecology, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
The Korean long-tailed goral (Naemorhedus caudatus) is at risk of population decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Therefore, it is essential to ascertain its presence and/or the identity of individuals of the goral using non-invasive fecal samples for its conservation and management. In this study, we examined the morphology of fecal samples to provide the baseline data that can be used to distinguish species and age of goral individuals. We detected a significant difference in the length-to-width ratios of feces among the five ungulate species found in Korea. Also, we detected a significant difference in the length-to-width ratios of feces of gorals depending on the age groups. To assess the accuracy of species and age identification based on the fecal morphology, we conducted a series of blind comparison between the mean length-towidth ratios of the fecal pellets and the reference mean ratio values of the fecal pellets. Using 20 fecal pellets, our results showed 73%-86% probability of correct identification of the three species (gorals, goats, and roe deer), and 83%-90% probability of correct identification of 5 year-old goral individuals. The use of fecal morphometric analys
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