Latrine Site Selection by the Asian Badger (Meles leucurus) in a Temperate Forest of South Korea
Latrine Site Selection by the Asian Badger (Meles leucurus) in a Temperate Forest of South Korea
Ho-Kyoung Bae, Jae-Kang Lee, Tae-Kyung Eom, Dong-Ho Lee, Hyeongyu Ko, Joo-Hee Kim, Sung-Hyun Ahn and Shin-Jae Rhim*
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to clarify the latrine site selection preference of the Asian badger Meles leucurus in a temperate forest, Pyeongchang, South Korea. Logistic regression models were used to determine which habitat variables affect latrine site selection. The relationship between elevation and latrine location was examined using the Mann-Whitney U test, and we used Jacob’s index to examine the relationship between latrine site selection and forest type. Badger field signs were negatively affected by human presence. Dense overstory vegetation and the percent ground cover of rock, grass, and bare land were positively correlated with latrine site selection by the logistic regression models that displayed good predictive performance (a ROC-AUC value ≥ 0.65). The latrines were found at higher elevations, rather than lower to aviod higher temperatures, and we found that Asian badgers tend to make their latrines in deciduous forest. For the conservation of the species and their habitat, these habitat variables should be considered and addressed by forest managers.
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