The long-tailed goral (Naemorhedus caudatus) is an endangered animal species in all its habitats worldwide, including South Korea. The imbalanced sex ratio in fragmented habitats is closely associated with extinction. Therefore, sex identification using wild animal samples would be necessary. However, only a few studies have been reported about the sex identification of gorals. In this study, we thus aimed at comparing the efficiency of sex identification using various goral sample types as templates and the amelogenin (AMEL) and DEAD-box polypeptide 3 (DDX3) genes as target sequences. We extracted DNA from goral feces, tissues, and blood samples, then amplified the AMEL (SE47/SE48 and SE47/SE53 primer pairs) and DDX3 genes for sex identification, comparing the goral DDX3X and DDX3Y target sequences to those in cattle. Our results indicated that the tissue- and blood sample-derived AMEL amplicons showed an unspecific band pattern containing the sex-specific band in the case of both primer pairs we used, whereas the DDX3 amplicon showed only the sex-specific band. In the case of the feces samples, only the sex-specific band was amplified using both the AMEL and DDX3 primer pairs. However, we found that the DDX3 amplicon exhibited a clearer band pattern than the AMEL amplicon. Then, we compared the DDX3X and DDX3Y target sequences between cattle and gorals. We found 5 and 8 nucleotide differences in the DDX3X and DDX3Y sequences, respectively. In conclusion, the DDX3 gene-related sex identification of the long-tailed goral appears to be more efficient and precise than the AMEL gene-related approach. This method could be used for the sex identification of the members of the Bovidae family.

In Korea, ecological research on the goral is underway to restore and increase population size of these ungulates, but clinical research on gorals species is still in its infancy. Owing to the nature of the gorals’ habitat, several animals live together within limited areas; so, the risk of parasitic infection is very high. In this study, we performed physical examination of 17 gorals undergoing breeding and restoration at the Korean Goral Restoration Center. Weight, ear height, horn length, withers height of the anthropometric data of this study were no differences from other researchers. Blood samples from each species were analyzed. There was no significant difference among individuals in terms each value examined, although some hematological and biochemical values, such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, glucose and amylase showed differences among individuals. The average values of blood tests in gorals ware lower in lymphocytes, blood urea nitrogen, and calcium than in livestock goats, and hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and glucose were higher in livestock. Helminth eggs were detected in 15 out of 17 gorals by microscopic examination of their fecal samples, and Eimeria spp. and Strongyloides spp. were detected in all the gorals. However, there may be cases of death due to diarrhea, which may lead to a decrease in growth and production. Therefore, proper prevention and treatment are needed. These results may serve as an important reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of gorals. This information helps further understand the current health status of these species and may contribute to a more systematic restoration of the gorals.

This study aimed to analyze characteristics of the seasonal habitat use of reintroduced Long-tailed Gorals (n=7) in Woraksan (mountain) National Park. We collected 10,721 goral coordinates in Woraksan (mountain) National Park via transmitters, and analyzed habitat use (e.g., aspect, distance from stream and road) from November 2006 to January 2013. Aspect use was southwest (22.6 %), and seasonal aspect use had a southwestern slope (in the spring, summer, and autumn). A northwestern aspect was detected in winter, but slope of 30°∼35° (19.0 %) was used regardless of the season and mean elevation use was 500 m. Moreover, seasonal use was higher in the summer and lower in the winter and spring. The distance from the stream was mainly 50 m in 17.2 %, except in the winter (distance of 300 m), and it was within 50 m in the spring, summer, and autumn. The distance from the road was 100 m in 25.7 %, and seasonal use was within 100 m except for the winter. Thus, we examined significant differences in the habitat use of reintroduced gorals in Woraksan (mountain), and provide elementary data for habitat stabilization of Woraksan (mountain) National Park where goral restoration has advanced.

본 연구는 2008년 2월부터 2013년 12월까지 월악산국립공원에 도입 방사된 암컷 산양 4개체의 행동 특성을 연구하기 위하여 연간 행동권, 계절별 행동권, 고도별 이용 특징을 연구하였다. 도입 방사된 암컷 산양의 연간 행동권은 MCP 95% 1.13±0.32km2, FK 95% 0.37±0.18km2, FK 50% 0.07±0.03km2로 분석 되었고(t=0.607, p>0.05), 계절별 행동권 및 고도 이용특성은 MCP 95%에서 여름(0.77±0.06km2), 가을(0.73±0.26km2)로 행동권이 크며, 봄(0.58±0.38km2), 겨울(0.47±0.25km2)에 행동권이 감소하여 여름과 겨울 행동권의 차이를 보였고(F=3.868, P<0.05), 계절별 고도 이용 특성은 봄 435m(28.4%), 여름 464m(26.7%), 가을 414m(28.8%), 겨울 393m(21.2%)로 여름에 높은 고도로 이동하며 겨울철 고도가 낮은 지역을 이용하는 것으로 분석 되었다(F=0.783, P>0.05). 본 연구에서 도입 방사된 암컷 산양 개체만 연구되어 전체적인 행동특성이라고 단정 할 수 없지만, 행동권, 계절별 행동권, 고도 분석 등으로 서식지 이용특성에서 유의미한 차이가 있는 것으로 분석 되었다.

본 연구는 멸종위기종인 한국산 산양(n=3)의 생태 및 행동학적 특징을 밝히기 위하여 2010년 5월부터 2011년 9월까지 설악산국립공원에서 이루어졌다. 구조된 산양은 GPS Collar 발신기를 부착하여 구조된 원서식지에 재 방사 하였으며, 연구기간 동안 수집된 4,752개의 위치 좌표를 이용하여 연간 행동권, 계절별 행동권, 월별 이용 고도를 분석하였다. 연구결과, 설악산 산양의 연간 행동권은 MCP 95% 0.88㎢, MCP 50% 0.27㎢, FK 95% 0.43㎢, FK 50% 0.09㎢로 계절별 행동권은 MCP 95%에서 봄 0.47㎢, 여름 0.45㎢, 가을 0.63㎢, 겨울 0.50㎢로, 가을 행동권이 넓은 것으로 나타났다. 또한 FK 95% 분석을 통해서도 봄 0.23㎢, 여름 0.19㎢, 가을 0.33㎢, 겨울 0.22㎢로 가을철 행동권이 가장 큰 것으로 나타났다. 암·수 연간행동권은 MCP 95% 수준에서 암컷 1.03㎢, 수컷은 0.58㎢로 분석되었다. 월별 이용 고도는 6, 7, 8월이 가장 높았으며 12, 1, 2월에 가장 낮은 고도를 이용했다. 본 연구는 산양의 서식지 관리 정책 및 복원과 보전을 위한 객관적 자료 확보 및 국내에서 수행 중이거나 계획 단계에 있는 야생동물의 성공적인 복원에 기여하고자 수행되었다.