Human activity is increasingly and persistently disturbing nature and
wild animals. Affected wildlife adopts multiple strategies to deal with
different human influences. To explore the effect of human activity on
habitat utilization of Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana), habitat
utilization patterns of three neighboring marmot populations in habitats
affected differently by human activities were recorded and compared. We
found that: (1) Distance between reproductive burrows (a represent of
reproductive pairs) becomes shorter under the influence of human
activities, and more burrows were dug as temporary shelters, resulting
in a shorter distance between those shelters as well as shorter distance
flee to those shelters, and consequently, shorter flight initiation
distance when threatened. More burrows that are closer in the disturbed
habitats improve the ability to escape from threats. (2) Reproductive
burrow site selection of the species is determined by the availability
of mounds in the habitat, and breeding pairs selectively build
reproductive (also the hibernation) burrows on mounds, potentially to
improve surveillance when basking and the drainage of burrows. Human
activities generally drive breeding pairs away from the road to dig
their reproductive burrows likely to reduce disturbance from vehicles.
However, even heavy human activity exerts no pressure on the distance of
reproductive burrows from the road or the mound volume of the high
disturbance population, potentially because mounds are the best
burrowing site to reproduce and hibernate in the habitat. Marmots deal
with disturbance by digging more burrows in the habitat to flee more
effectively and building reproductive burrows on mounds to gain better
vigilance and drainage efficiency.
Effects of human activity on the habitat utilization of Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana) in Zoige wetland
