Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ) is one of the world's most endangered species, little is known about its habitat preferences, and the results of past studies differ greatly. To clarify the habitat characteristics of the Chinese pangolin, we conducted habitat surveys in Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces of China using the transect method. A total of 520 burrow sites of Chinese pangolins were recorded in three study areas. The resulting data were analyzed using a generalized additive model, principal coordinate analysis, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Nine ecological factors (elevation, slope, soil type, canopy coverage, surface coverage, number of trees, number of logs, tree diameter at breast height, and distance to a settlement) were found to affect pangolins' distribution. Burrows were preferentially distributed at elevations of 50-150 m (62.3%), in silty soil (88.1%), on 20-40° slopes (83.3%), within young and medium-aged broadleaved forests with a canopy coverage exceeding 70% (65.8%), and close to water (less than 300 m). Among the three study regions, pangolin habitats differed significantly in seven environmental factors: elevation, canopy coverage, surface coverage, number of trees, distance to water, distance to a road, and distance to a settlement. Our findings imply that the Chinese pangolin appears to tolerate a broad range of ecological characteristics; however, food resources may be the key factor affecting its habitat selection, and other factors may indirectly affect its distribution by affecting food abundance. Finally, aside from hunting, a low level of human disturbance does not affect the presence of this species.
Source: Animals
DOI: 10.3390/ani15142093
Authors: Dongling Liang, Xinrui Tang, Yilong Chen, Fei Xi, Shibao Wu, Fuhua Zhang
Institution: South China Normal University
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
OpenAlex ID: W4412469033