A local case report of dispersal characteristics in two male raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Oita Prefecture, Japan, revealed using Geographic Information System

Abstract

Behavioral differences during and before/after dispersal were identified in two male raccoons (Procyon lotor) fitted using global positioning system (GPS) collars in Oita Prefecture, Japan. One male raccoon dispersed in a yearling spring, whereas the other dispersed in a yearling winter. The timing and direction of dispersal might reflect raccoon density in terms of differences in harvest pressure between municipalities in Oita. In both individuals, the average travel speed increased, and subsequently, the average travel distance per day rose during dispersal compared with periods before/after dispersal. During dispersal, forest use decreased, whereas artificial and agricultural land use increased in one individual, suggesting that this individual preferred anthropogenic areas for dispersal.