Establishment Of Released Population And Behavior Ecology For Burmese Python(Python Bivittatus)

The Burmese python is an important part of the tropical rain forest ecosystem in our country, but the study of the ecology is very lack. Using artificial breeding populations for reintroduction in the suitable habitat is an effective method for protecting and restoring endangered animal populations in the wild. In order to offer scientific guarantee for releasing to wild and long time protection, this study discussed three main aspects for the following research:(1). The genetic characteristics for captive populations of Burmese pythons which were ready to release to wild and the released individuals genetic screening; (2). Habitat use, suitable habitat location and area of Burmese python in Yinggeling Nature Reserve; (3). The behavior characteristics, evaluation and comparison of Burmese pythons after releaseing. The following results:Based on microsatellite markers, the inbreeding level of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation between the captive populations and wild populations were investigated. And the genetic distance among released individuals were evaluated and compared.79 alleles of the Burmese pythons were detected by 8 microsatellite loci, average allele number was 9.875, average allele number of captive population was 8.625, the wild population was 9.125. The average effective alleles number of captive population genetic diversity was 5.303, the average expected heterozygosity was 0.820, polymorphism information content was 0.780. These data were significantly higher than that of wild populations (p< 0.05). Inbreeding coefficient (Fis) show that captive populations and hainan wild populations did not both exist significant inbreeding phenomenon. Genetic differentiation (Fst) showed the captive population did not have genetic differentiation with wild populations. According to the analysis of genetic distance for captive populations, selecting 8 (4♀,4♂) genetic distance greater than the average genetic distance of captive population. The eight Burmese pythons selected can be used for releasing to the wild on molecular biology evidence.Radio tracking, GPS positioning, quadrat investigation, resource selection index and resources selection function were used to analyze the habitat utilization for wild Burmese pythons in Yinggeling Nature reserve of hainan province, China. The results showed that habitat types of Burmese pythons in the rainy season was characterized by tending to scrub and broad-leaved forest, at an altitude of 700 m, under the east or southeast slope direction, vegetation coverage of 50-75%, forest canopy density of 25-50%, water temperature above 28 ℃, environment temperature 26-32℃, relative humidity 70-90%, Illumination intensity in 1000-10000 lux, distance to water up to 500 m away, distance to the disturbance more than 500 m. Environment temperature, Illumination intensity, altitude, vegetation coverage, vegetation type, distance to water, distance to disturbance such as seven factors were the main factors affecting the habitat use of Burmese pythons in rainy season. During the dry season, the main factor affecting the wild python habitat use were the distance to the disturbance, vegetation type, environment temperature, slope, Illumination intensity, altitude, etc.. The vegetation types which wild individual preference was grass or bushes in the dry season; distance to disturbance more than 1000 meters, the environment temperature above 26 ℃, east or southeast slope direction; The Illumination intensity more than 1000 lux; Between 600-900 m above sea level. Compared with the difference between the dry season and rainy season of wild Burmese pythons habitat use. Vegetaton type, vegetation coverage, forest canopy density and altitude, relative humidity, distance to water had extremely significant or significant differences (p< 0.05), other factors did not have significant differences (p> 0.05).Based on MAXENT model combined with 3S technology to assess the python habitat suitability in polly ridge region, the certificate certified the model prediction results achieving excellence (ROC curve), proving that the suitable habitat of Burmese pythons were mainly distributed in the north slope of nature reserve, the main selection was lower altitude irrigation grass and forest habitat, the suitability increased with the altitude between 0-600 m, and reversed while the altitude more than 600 m, suitability gradually increased with the increase of anthropogenic interference, and decreased with the increase of water distance. The most suitable habitat area of Burmese pythons in the reserve was 1890.28 ha, inferior suitable habitat area was 6025.98 ha, general suitable habitat area was 7916.26 ha, accounting for about 15.50% of the total study area; Not suitable habitat area was 43171.96 ha.The tracking was used to research on the behavior of the eight released Burmese pythons. The results showed that the released subadult Burmese pythons had no significant difference in the home range between the rainy and the dry season, the home range also had no significant difference between the released and wild individuals (p> 0.05). The movement distance of released Burmese pythons could reach 15250.58 ± 417.76 m, average daily movement distance was 71.64±33.21 m in the dry season, average daily movement distance was 19.14±10.24 m in the rainy season. Movement distance had significant differences between different seasons (p< 0.05). On the double week moving distance, there was a significant difference between the Burmese pythons in the early release (p< 0.05), but the difference was not significant after 6 months (p> 0.05). There was no significant difference among Individuals on movement frequency(p> 0.05). At the beginning of released, the resting was 39.4±8.61%, basking was 30.13± 5.54%. warning was 7.92 ± 1.08%, crawing was 6.77+3.72%, exploring was 5.84 ± 3.65%, others was 9.61 ±4.63%. Each behavior had obvious rhythmic.The main factors affected Burmese pythons habitat utilization in rainy season were vegetation types, Illumination intensity, altitude, temperature, distance to water and five others, The dominant factor affecting Burmese python released during the dry season were the distance to the disturbance, vegetation type, slope, elevation, Illumination intensity and environment temperature, etc. Compared the main factors that influenced the wild and released Burmese pythons habitat utilization in different seasons, in the rainy season, the distance to the human disturbance and vegetation coverage factors had extremely significant or significant differences between the two groups (p< 0.05), in the dry season, the influence factors did not have significant difference (p> 0.05).