The fine‐scale movement pattern of Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) responds to winter habitat permeability

Abstract

AbstractThe number of Amur tigers living in protected regions is increasing, and China has achieved significant progress in this regard, especially at the Sino‐Russia border region around Hunchun where most of the Amur tigers are found in China. However, there is a need to increase the dispersal of Amur tigers further from the border as the region is not large enough to support the sustainable survival of the population. In the winter of 2012–2015 and January 2022, we tracked 38 Amur tiger snow traces and performed line transect and camera trap surveys in Hunchun to assess Amur tiger movements in response to the landscape and its permeability at fine scales. Our results showed that towns, shrubs, and forest roads are the main factors influencing Amur tiger movements. Furthermore, tiger paths were characterized by lower tortuosity in preferred habitats. This provides information for small‐scale habitat modification to increase landscape permeability and facilitate dispersal.