Pusiau natūraliomis sąlygomis išaugintų ir išleistų į laisvę bei laukinių lūšių (Lynx lynx L.) erdvinis pasiskirstymas Lietuvos miškuose

• Main Author: Adeikis, Petras
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: Lithuanian; English
• Published: Institutional Repository of Aleksandras Stulginskis University 2015
• Subjects: lynx; distribution; forests; Lithuania; public survey; Ivlev; Petras; Lynx; Lynx lynx lynx
• Online Access: http://asu.oai.elaba.lt/documents/15446806.pdf; http://asu.lvb.lt/ASU:ELABAETD15446806&prefLang=en_US

The master’s thesis analyses semi-naturally bred and released to the wild lynx and wild lynx (Lynx lynx L.) spatial distribution in Lithuania’s forests. The thesis object – two released female lynxes that were born and adapted in Petras Adeikis kennel, also free lynxes that live in Lithuania’s forests. Thesis goal – to find out in captivity bred and released lynx and wild lynx spatial distribution peculiarities. Thesis methods – applying the point data collected from the released lynx’s collars and the internet survey data (in use with ArcGIS, Microsoft Excel and Statistica programs) to find out significant environmental factors, which influence lynx distribution. Thesis results. Lynxes that were bred in semi-natural conditions, once released, took up very similar size areas as wild lynxes. Released lynxes especially avoided main roads in their neighbourhood (Ivlev index reached -0.89 and -0.76). They were more likely to choose sparsely human populated areas, yet in some cases they were tolerant to high human density areas. According to the survey’s data, lynxes were found practically everywhere in Lithuania, yet their habitat parameters didn’t always match the country’s average. Lynxes gave high priority to forest areas (Ivlev index 0.50) and to forests with lots of undergrowth (0.48). Lynxes avoided interference of anthropogenic origin: areas with main roads through the forests (-0.29) and through the landscape (-0.17), human density in the area also had a negative effect (-0.40) Both, the semi-naturally bred and released and the wild lynxes, chose much more forested areas compared to Lithuania’s average forest density (p = 0.000). An obvious avoiding of main roads and people inhabited areas was determined in both compared groups.