Morphological keys for identifying long-tailed gorals (Naemorhedus caudatus) and population composition in the Osaek Region of South Korea.

ABSTRACT: The objectives of this study were to select morphological keys for the identification of individual endangered long-tailed gorals through analysis of photographic data and to use these morphological keys to determine the number and population composition of gorals living in the Osaek Region of Seoraksan National Park. Amongst 8149 photos taken using 73 cameras in the Osaek Region, 2057 photos of faces and horns were analysed. The presence and absence of horns, shape of the horns, proportion of the ring to the length of the horn and facial colour pattern were selected as morphological keys to identify individual gorals. To verify the accuracy of the morphological keys for identifying gorals, a blind test was performed on gorals residing in the sanctuary of the Yanggu Goral Restoration Cente

SUBMITTER: Kim KY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7686204 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature