Monitoring of Alpine Marmot (Marmota marmota latirostris) colonies in the West Tatra Mountains - I.
Abstract
The study presents the data on the breeding territory, translocation and dispersal routes of the Tatra subspecies of Alpine Marmots in the part of the West Tatra Mountains, the West Carpathians, Slovakia. The maternal and emergency burrows were detaily censused and GPS-located at the territory from Sivý vrch to Tri Kopy (9,500 m in length). The horizontal range of marmot distribution in this area was 6,200 metres. GPS coordinates of 2,469 burrows were archived, twenty-four of which were the main burrows. Twenty six active inhabited colonies were found. Two of them did not have a main burrow. 172 burrows were detected in the largest inhabited colony and 23 burrows in the smallest inhabited colony. In the largest uninhabited colony 125 burrows were found. The potential effects of predators (especially the Golden Eagle) and touristic impact on marmot distribution are discussed.
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