Movement Dynamics and Habitat Use of Owned and Unowned Free-Roaming Dogs on a Two-Square-Kilometer Tourist Island in Southern Thailand.

ABSTRACT: Free-roaming dogs are a neglected population that poses public health concerns in tourist areas. This study, conducted during both the high and low tourist seasons, aimed to (i) investigate the movement patterns of free-roaming dogs on the Lipe tourist destination island, southern Thailand, focusing on their daily distance, and (ii) identify habitat land type preferences. Between September and December 2024, eight owned and seven unowned dogs were fitted with Catlog GPS devices. Tracking data were collected for the dog's coordinates every 15 min for at least four consecutive days. Data analysis and visualization were performed using R software. On average, dogs traveled 5300 m daily. Unowned dogs exhibited their highest speed on beaches (median = 70, IQR = 44-79 m per 15 min). Free-roaming

SUBMITTER: Te-Chaniyom T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12737669 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature