狭小生息地におけるムササビの環境利用

抄録

Research on habitat utilization of the white-cheeked giant flying squirrel Petaurista leucogenys was conducted in a local shrine grove (0.34 ha) . The individual which was kept under observation was supposed to be the last survivor in this decaying grove. It was completely arboreal and throughout the year it lived within that shrine grove. Gliding was its main mode of locomotion. Among trees of the grove, it visited only those trees which were high enough to glide from (or their neighboring trees) . The trees could be classified into three groups: 1) those used as food resources, 2) those used for resting which were tall and thick enough to conceal its body and 3) those only temporarily used for relaying glides. The flying squirrel traveled several times during one night between resting and feeding places. In winter it glided for foraging far more frequently than in summer. Gliding may be advantageous in a sparse wood such as this local shrine grove because it can travel among trees without danger of landing on the ground. It was exclusively a vegetarian, eating young leaves, seeds, nuts and sprouts of trees of eight species including Cryptomeria japonica, Quercus glauca and Zelkova serrata. It utilized as food different parts of an individnal tree by time of the year.