Sexual Difference in Annual Activity and Home Range of the Japanese Pond Turtle, Mauremys japonica, Assessed by Mark-recapture and Radio-tracking Methods

Abstract

The annual activity and home range of the Japanese pond turtle, Mauremys japonica, were investigated from 1985 to 1990 in the northern part of Mie Prefecture by means of a mark-recapture and radio-telemetry. The turtles lived mainly in paddies from May to August when paddies were irrigated. When the irrigation period was over, however, the main habitat of the turtles changed from paddies to brooks and ponds from September to April of the following year. Females were captured more frequently than males in the irrigation period, whereas males were found more frequently in the non-irrigated period. In the mating season, mainly from September to April, males walked around more frequently and were active at lower water temperature than females. The mean home range size in the brook was estimated to be 99 m in males and 40 m in females by means of radio-tracking, and 71 m in males and 47 m in females by mark recapture. The higher activity and larger home range of males during the period from fall to spring of the following year are attributed to active searching for stationary females by males.