Abstract:

【Objective】We aim to reveal the activity rhythms and clustering patterns of the Reeve’s muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) population under anthropogenic disturbance in Lüconghu Provincial Wetland Park of Zhejiang Province, to provide a basis for the scientific conservation and management of ungulates.【Method】We used infrared camera trapping to monitor the population of M. reevesi from February 2021 to January 2022. The daily activity rhythm and group patterns were analyzed based on the data from 1 896 independent valid photos.【Result】 The daily activity rhythms of M. reevesi varied across seasons. The minimum area of the overlap of daily activity rhythm curves (DARCs) was observed between winter and spring (Δ = 0.79, P<0.01), with higher intensity and significantly earlier activity peaks detected in the dusk of winter. The daily activity rhythms of M. reevesi also differed along altitudinal gradients. The minimum area of the overlap of DARCs was found between 700-900 m and 1 100-1 300 m (Δ = 0.76, P <0.01), with only one peak of activity detected in the dusk at 700-900 m. Seven group patterns were identified. The solitary individual pattern had the highest proportion (92.95%), followed by the adult female with fawn group (3.47%) and one female and one male group (2.37%). The remaining four group patterns (two female, two male, one male with fawn, two female with fawn) only accounted for 1.21% of the valid detections in this study.【Conclusion】The M. reevesi in Lüconghu Provincial Wetland Park of Zhejiang Province, is a diurnal animal mainly active in the morning and dusk and is mainly solitary. Its daily activity rhythm showed significant differences in different seasons and altitude gradients, which may be mainly influenced by factors such as temperature, food resources, vegetation type, and human disturbance.

Key words: Reeve’s muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), ungulate, daily activity pattern, group pattern, infrared camera