Population status, daily activity pattern and habitat preference of caracal (Caracal caracal Schreber, 1776) in Antalya Düzlerçamı Wildlife Development Area

Abstract

This study was carried out at Düzlerçamı Wildlife Development Area in Antalya between 2016-2017 to determine population status, daily activity pattern and habitat preference of caracal (Caracal caracal). Camera traps established at 444 points by the Opportunity point method, and 19 of them recorded 35 caracal images. By evaluating the images, the captured ratio of caracal to camera-traps was found to be 0.08-0.83. As a result of the research, it was determined that pine forests up to 450 m altitude were more preferred by the caracal , habitat types on sandstone and volcanic sediment areas have were occupied more in habitat preference and bedrock types consisting of limestone which cannot be used by caracal. It has been observed that fallow deer (Dama dama), wild goat (Capra aegagrus), wild boar (Sus scrofa) and European hare (Lepus europaeus), naturally distributed species in the research area, among the important food sources of the caracal. In general, it has been observed that caracal is active all day long, while its most intense activity occured from dusk to dawn between hours 24.00-06.00.

Keywords

• caracal (caracal caracal)
• camera traps
• activity design
• habitat preferences
• karakulak (caracal caracal)
• fotokapan
• aktivite deseni
• habitat tercihi