Open AccessHome range and movements of San Joaquin antelope squirrels in the San Joaquin Desert of California
Author(s) -
David J. Germano,
Galen B. Rathbun,
Lawrence R. Saslaw,
Brian L. Cypher
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
california fish and wildlife journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2689-4203
pISSN - 2689-419X
DOI - 10.51492/cfwj.cesasi.19
Subject(s) - san joaquin , home range , range (aeronautics) , geography , threatened species , ecology , mainland , desert (philosophy) , habitat , biology , environmental science , philosophy , epistemology , soil science , composite material , materials science
The San Joaquin antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus nelsoni) is one of five species in the genus and has the most restricted range of the four mainland antelope squirrels, occurring only in the San Joaquin Desert of California. Despite being state-listed as Threatened since 1980, few studies have been conducted on A. nelsoni, especially ecological studies, which hampers recovery efforts. We conducted a radio-telemetry study in 2002 of 19 males on the Lokern Natural Area in the southwestern portion of the San Joaquin Desert. Based on 100% Minimum Convex Polygons (MCP), home ranges varied from 1.25–14.5 ha with a mean of 5.93 ha (± 0.90 standard error). The average daily distance traveled by these 19 males was 128.5 m (range, 71.4–224.5) and the average greatest distance travelled in a day was 313.0 m, with some traveling > 0.5 km. Our data are useful to further refine the estimates of home range and movements of this neglected protected species, but in the future, better home range studies are needed that span multiple years, include both sexes, and occur at sites across its range.