Feeding Behavior of Tibetan Gazelle in Shiqu County of Sichuan Province during Autumn

Feeding behaviors of Tibetan gazelles (Procapra picticaudata) have been studied with fixing observation and scan sampling in Shiqu County of Sichuan Province from August to October 2003.40 sampling plots (20 m×20 m) were set at least every 100 m apart in order to investigate feeding habitat and diet.Through Kolmogorov-Smirnov test,when the data were of normally distributed parametric tests were used,otherwise nonparametric tests were done.A total of 49 groups (333 individuals) were observed,the largest group observed was 34 individuals,and average size of groups was 6.8 individuals (n=49).Male was inclined to be small group (besides single-individual groups,groups of 2-3 individuals:33.33%,n=9),2 individuals were the most common size of mother-offspring groups (53%,n=15),but very little was observed on the female groups of lesser than 4 individuals.Two feeding peaks of Tibetan gazelle characterized diurnal feeding budgets (one at 8:00-9:00 and another at 17:00-18:00,each of feeding percentages>54%).Higher trophic plants (Kobrecia,Leontopodium and Oxytropis etc.) were the most common diets of Tibetan gazelles,which were over 80% of total recipe.The clustering and principal component analysis of 13 habitat factors indicated that the cumulative contribution of previous four principal components reached 71%,can represent the mainly feeding habitat characteristic of Tibetan gazelles,and the main factors influencing feeding habitat selection of Tibetan gazelles were divided into three types:the vegetation nutrition (with moderate high meadow vegetation),the harassing grade (with better conceal condition and lesser harassment of human beings),and the water resource (with closer to water resource and better lee nature).