The Microhabitat Use And Home Range Of Indo-Chinese Box Turtle (Cuora Galbinifrons)

Indo-Chinese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons is widely distributed in forested uplands of Vietnam, Laos, and Hainan Island, China. Because of the over-exploitation, C .galbinifrons was listed as critically endangerous species by INCN 2002. Most of researchers focused on the classification of this species. The natural history of C .galbinifrons is poorly known. From September, 2004 to December, 2006, the distribution, microhabitat use, home range and population density were studied by radio telemetry, sample analysis and investigation in field. The main results are as follows:From September, 2004 to July, 2005, we conducted widely survey of the distribution and habitat of C .galbinifrons around the Hainan Island. By showing the picture and specimen to local villagers and checking illegal trade, we can know whether local people collect this species around the near habitat. We visited 17 counties including Wuzhishan, Diaoluo, Jianfenling, Bawangling and Limushan mountain area and found 128 individuals of C .galbinifrons from 12 spots of 10 counties. The typical habitat of Indochinese box turtle on Hainan Island is evergreen forest with dense bamboo. Altitude is 700~1800 m. There is no C .galbinifrons distribution under 160 m. We conducted field research at Diaoluoshan village, Diaoluoshan NR. (18°43′538″N, 109°52′109″E, El 914 m). Six sample areas were investgated with 424 baited traps and 6360 traps*days. The density was 0.0009/trap*day and 0.7862/km2 in natural forest and absent in plantation in Diaoluoshan NR.From July, 2005 to December, 2006, nine of ten C .galbinifrons caught by our traps were radio-tracked. No.02 and No.07 were lost because of radio transmitter. Home range of No.08 and No.09 were not calculated for insufficient location dates. Activity of C .galbinifrons is related with weather. In the rainy day especially with storm, tracking turtles moved around and seek for food, and then rested for several days. By analyzing the manures of tracking turtle, we found that main foods are fallen fruits, insects and small animals. After October activity of C .galbinifrons reduced dramatically and they began to hibernate from November till March in the next year. All tracking individuals selected up slope with dense bamboo as over wintering sites, where they buried themselves under leaf litter beside the root of bamboo or fallen logs. During the dry season (November to April), the mean home range size of Indochinese box turtle was 0.62±0.47 ha(95%FK, N=5, 0.17~1.33 ha),the mean core home range size was 0.16±0.14 ha(50%FK, N=5, 0.04~0.38 ha),line home range was 154.91±33.58 m(N=5, 122.12 ~210.55 m). During the wet season(May to October ), the mean home range size was 13.33±17.63 ha (95%FK, N=5, 2.12~44.34 ha),the mean core home range size was 2.84±2.99 ha(50%FK, N=5, 0.58~7.92 ha),line home range was 265.31±146.8 m(N=5, 112.15~466.00 m). During whole year, the mean home range size was 16.00±19.65 ha(95%FK, N=5, 2.77~50.79 ha),the mean core home range size was 3.90±4.42 ha(50%FK, N=5, 0.78~11.69 ha),line home range was 323.26±105.82 m(N=5, 170.31~466.69 m).By radio-tracking turtles, we never discovered that C .galbinifrons lived in stream, our result strongly suggest that this turtle is strictly terrestrial. Around the home range area, the result showed that Indo-Chinese box turtle selected microhabitat with up slope position,canopy above 85%,bamboo density above 10/ m2,no herbage,cover of fallen leaves above 95%,thickness of fallen leaves above 30 cm in dry season. The character of canopy,tree density,height of bamboo crown,bamboo density,herbage height and herbage density were the main factors that affecting the microhabitat use of indo-Chinese box turtle in wet season.The same as other freshwater turtles, over-collecting, illegal trade and habitat destruction are making C .galbinifrons towards extinction. About 100 traps were found around 6.36 km2 areas in Dioaluoshan NR. Totally 128 C .galbinifrons individuals were found at twelve spots of 10 counties during one year investigation. It is urgent for administers of local nature reserves to adopt effective way to prevent poaching. Patrollers should pay more attentions during the wet season than dry season because turtles are easy to be poached at that time. According to home range of C .galbinifrons requirement, fragment of rain forest under 50.79 ha area is not suitable for C .galbinifrons survive. So wide rain forest habitat with dense bamboo(Lingnania scandens)should be protected specially.