Keywords :
Spatial Ecology; Trimeresurus macrops
บทคัดย่อ :
The Big-eyed green pit viper (Trimeresurus macrops) is a venomous snake species, endemic to Southeast Asia. Although we have some knowledge of the systematics and toxicology of T. macrops, little is known about the spatial ecology of this species. Considering the increase in habitat fragmentation and isolation, it is important to study the impact of human presence and expansion on snake species. During 2013-2014, we used radio-telemetry to determine home-range sizes of 13 adult female T. macrops inhabiting Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, a patchy landscape of undisturbed and disturbed habitats. We found that individual home ranges for T. macrops averaged 0.175 ha, with activity areas ranging from 0.112-0.303 ha and core areas ranging from 0.023-0.052 ha. There was little overlap between conspecific tracked females, especially for the most used areas of their home ranges. We did not detect significant differences in home ranges, movement patterns, or behavior between individuals living in forested areas and near the research station. Our study suggests that T. macrops are not significantly affected by human disturbance, likely due to their cryptic behavior and limited movement patterns.
เอกสารอ้างอิง :
Suwanwaree, P., Strine, C. T., Silva, I., Barnes, C., Hill, J., & Artchawakom, T. (2015a) Spatial ecology of female Trimeresurus macrops in natural and human-disturbed forest of Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, Thailand.
