Movement and resource selection by feral goats in a Hawaiian montane dry landscape

Abstract

Where animals range and how they select resources have long been of interest to ecologists and have recently merged together in the field of movement ecology. While movement ecology offers improved understanding of basic ecological questions, it also offers great potential for applied questions. To advance our understanding of movement, I sought to investigate how large herbivores respond to vegetation phenology and to determine if high-resolution remotely sensed data could predict resource selection. To address these objectives 12 feral goats were tracked with GPS satellite collars for one year in the Pōhakuloa Training Area on Hawaiʻi Island. Results suggest that vegetation phenology is a good indicator of feral goat habitat. Feral goats primarily select habitats with low canopy height, high slope and curvature, and high values of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic vegetation. Ultimately, the results of this study can be used to prioritize conservation activities in native Hawaiian montane dryland ecosystems.