Influence of natal habitat preference on habitat selection during extra-home range movements in a large ungulate.

ABSTRACT: Natal habitat preference induction (NHPI) occurs when animals exhibit a preference for new habitat that is similar to that which they experienced in their natal environment, potentially leading to post-dispersal success. While the study of NHPI is typically focused on post-settlement home ranges, we investigated how this behavior may manifest during extra-home range movements (EHRMs), both to identify exploratory prospecting behavior and assess how natal habitat cues may influence path selection before settlement. We analyzed GPS collar relocation data collected during 79 EHRMs made by 34 juvenile and subadult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) across an agricultural landscape with highly fragmented forests in Illinois, USA. We developed a workflow to measure multidimensiona

SUBMITTER: Hooven ND 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9897958 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature