The Home Range, The Rate Of Visibility In The Wild And The Selection Of Burrowing Position Of Reintroducted Chinese Alligators

From July to late November in 2008, we monitored six Chinese alligators which were fitted with VHF transmitters and released at the Gaojing Miao Forest Farm. In the period of reintroduction, the rate of visibility of Chinese alligator was recorded and analyzed. In this way, we try to study the relation between the rate of visibility and average temperature, as well as the relation between the rate of visibility and the total number of the released Chinese alligator. The purpose and significance of the study lie in the reference provided for the survey of the number of the wild Chinese alligator population. We find that the rate of visibility is about 0.60 (0.33-0.93) in the period of reintroduction. The difference for the rate of visibility among three time ranges is significant.In the period of reintroduction, the locations of alligators measured by GPS were recorded and analyzed. The difference for daily movement areas of 6 alligators is significant(P=0.000<0.05), while the difference for daily movement areas in sex(t=0.593, df=162, P=0.554 > 0.05) and weight(t=1.906, df=162, P=0.058>0.05) is not significant. The home ranges of reintroducted alligators were caculated between 2180m2 and 41876m2.In the period of reintroduction, we found nine burrows digged by six Chinese alligators. Five individuals were released in 2008, as well as another before 2008. Four of nine burrows were digged by one Chinese alligator, and the rest were burrowed by five Chinese alligators, respectively. Characters of these burrows were measured. The starting time of every burrow were concluded reasonably. Seven environmental variables regarding the positions of these burrows were evaluated. All burrows built at first are below the water surface. All burrows are on the bank where dense vegetation grows on. The results showed that the concealment, soil and convenient basking are the important factors for Chinese alligator to select the position of burrow. The burrow's structure of reintroduced Chinese alligator is not complicated.