Home range of greater and lesser rhea in Argentina: relevance to conservation.

BELLIS, L. M., M. B. MARTELLA J. L. NAVARRO AND P. E. VIGNOLO

BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION

Año: 2004 vol. 13 p. 2589 - 2598

0960-3115

 In this work we report results of radiotracking studies on the movements and home range sizes of two near-threatened species, the greater rhea (Rhea americana) and the lesser rhea (Pterocnemia pennata pennata) in relation to di.erent land use regimes. We radiomonitored greater and lesser rheas for 3 years in their respective habitats: the Pampas and the Patagonia regions. We chose two study areas in each habitat with similar agricultural activities and di.erent hunting control. We did not .nd signi.cant di.erences in movements and home range size between study areas of each species. This suggests that disturbance caused by human presence in the areas did not a.ect rhea spacing behaviors. Moreover, lesser rheas showed larger home range and movements than greater rheas, showing that the home range size is not an immutable property of body mass, and that abundance and distribution of food appears to be the main factor that in.uences the movements and home range size of these birds.In this work we report results of radiotracking studies on the movements and home range sizes of two near-threatened species, the greater rhea (Rhea americana) and the lesser rhea (Pterocnemia pennata pennata) in relation to di.erent land use regimes. We radiomonitored greater and lesser rheas for 3 years in their respective habitats: the Pampas and the Patagonia regions. We chose two study areas in each habitat with similar agricultural activities and di.erent hunting control. We did not .nd signi.cant di.erences in movements and home range size between study areas of each species. This suggests that disturbance caused by human presence in the areas did not a.ect rhea spacing behaviors. Moreover, lesser rheas showed larger home range and movements than greater rheas, showing that the home range size is not an immutable property of body mass, and that abundance and distribution of food appears to be the main factor that in.uences the movements and home range size of these birds.Rhea americana) and the lesser rhea (Pterocnemia pennata pennata) in relation to di.erent land use regimes. We radiomonitored greater and lesser rheas for 3 years in their respective habitats: the Pampas and the Patagonia regions. We chose two study areas in each habitat with similar agricultural activities and di.erent hunting control. We did not .nd signi.cant di.erences in movements and home range size between study areas of each species. This suggests that disturbance caused by human presence in the areas did not a.ect rhea spacing behaviors. Moreover, lesser rheas showed larger home range and movements than greater rheas, showing that the home range size is not an immutable property of body mass, and that abundance and distribution of food appears to be the main factor that in.uences the movements and home range size of these birds.) in relation to di.erent land use regimes. We radiomonitored greater and lesser rheas for 3 years in their respective habitats: the Pampas and the Patagonia regions. We chose two study areas in each habitat with similar agricultural activities and di.erent hunting control. We did not .nd signi.cant di.erences in movements and home range size between study areas of each species. This suggests that disturbance caused by human presence in the areas did not a.ect rhea spacing behaviors. Moreover, lesser rheas showed larger home range and movements than greater rheas, showing that the home range size is not an immutable property of body mass, and that abundance and distribution of food appears to be the main factor that in.uences the movements and home range size of these birds.