Desirable Areas and Effective Environmental Factors of Wild goat Habitat (Capra aegagrus)

Abstract

Capra aegagrus is one of the most highly-valued animals of Iran. This species is also considered<br />as one of the main food sources for the Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, which are critically endangered.Seasonal<br />habitat use of wild goat was studied from January 2011 to September 2012 in Dareh Anjir Wildlife Refuge,<br />Yazd, Iran. We developed Maximum Entropy models in three seasons.This study aims to determine the<br />habitat desirability and factors affecting wild goats using a maximum entropy algorithm. Environmental<br />variables used in modeling the three seasons of winter, spring, and summer include elevation classes, slope,<br />direction, vegetation, distance to water sources, distance to the rocky substrate, distance to roads (asphalt,<br />soil), and distance to mines. The results show that the most important factors affecting habitat desirability of<br />the wild goat in winter, spring, and summer include the ratio of distance variable to the rocky cliffs, slope, and<br />distance to water resources. According to the predictions, wild goats are most likely to be found in the<br />northern, central and southeastern areas of the Dareh Anjir Wildlife Refuge, which are considered the most<br />desirable habitats of the species and its associated predator (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) over the three<br />seasons.The results of this study can be used as a valuable tool in implementing conservation and management<br />strategies in order to enhance the desirable habitats in the province of Yazd (Dareh Anjir Wildlife Refuge).