Research On Behavior And Analysis On The Habitat Selection Of Red-bellied Squirrel In Urban Green Area

Red-bellied squirrel can adapt to urban habitats that are different from the wild environment,is one of the most familiar wild mammals by urban residents.In order to study the behavior and habitat use of red-bellied squirrels in urban geen area.The method of direct observation,tracking observation and samples investigation research were used to behavior observation and investigation of red-bellied squirrels in the urban green area of Shanghai zoo from July 2015 to June 2016.The results were as below:1.In the yearly daytime activity budgets,the highest proportion is moving,which reached29.41%,the second behavior was foraging(29.60%),the third behavior was resting(24.73%),territorial behavior,sentinel behavior and grooming behavior were less than others,the proportion were 11.47%,5.92% and 3.36%.Foraging behavior was extremely significant difference in different seasons(p <0.01),The proportion of foraging behavior was highest in winter(33.27%),the lowest in summer(16.41%);the difference of moving behavior and territorial behavior were significant(p<0.05),The proportion of moving behavior was highest in spring(33.86%),the lowest in winter(20.95%);The proportion of territorial behavior was highest in autumn(16.19%),the lowest in spring(5.84%);There were no significant seasonal differences in sentinel behavior,grooming behavior and resting behavior(p>0.05).2.The annual activity behavior curve was "U",in the four seasons,foraging behavior and moving behavior were significantly bimodal type.Resting behavior was a single peak type in spring,summer and winter,in the early morning and evening distribution frequency is low,the highest at noon,there was obvious peak in the early morning,noon and evening of the winter;There was no obvious peak in grooming behavior.sentinel behavior appear peaks in spring,summer and autumn,there was no peak in winter.territorial behavior have peaked in autumn,with no peak in spring,summer and winter.3.The results indicated that the habitat of red-bellied tree squirrels shared the following characteristics: habitat of well food richness closes to water is less than 30 m,it was built along the slope between 0 degree to 10 degree toward north faced slope in the elevation of0~5(m).The habitat with well canopy density where human disturbance distance was about20 m to 30 m,tree density was 10~20(plant),shrub density was 150~200(plant),Tree diameter at breast height was 20~30(cm),shrub crown width was 100~150(cm),evergreen broad-leaf forest.4.The primary factors influencing red-bellied tree squirrels were slope,food abundance,habitat type and spacing of water.we found that the red-bellied tree squirrels randomly selected the habitat of well food richness and the average source of food,and avoided the impoverished environment;Red-bellied tree squirrels tended to active away from the waterwithin 0m~30m,randomly selected the distance from the water within 30m~120m,and avoided the habitat between 120 m ~150m far away from the water;the red-bellied tree squirrels prefer the habitat of sunny slope and avoid the shady slope;Red-bellied tree squirrels tended to living in evergreen broad-leaf forest and theropencedrymion,randomly selected to living in evergreen coniferous forest,deciduous coniferous forest,broad-leaved deciduous forest,bamboo forest,and avoided the grazing forest.