Movement patterns and home range of captive-bred Amur ratsnake (Elaphe schrenckii) juveniles in the natural habitat

To determine the movement patterns, home range, and use of structural features of captive-bred one- or two-year-oldAmur ratsnake (Elaphe schrenckii) juveniles in the natural habitat, we radio-tracked a total of 11 juvenile snakes in amountain valley in Chiaksan National Park, South Korea, between August 21 and September 20, 2010 and between June13 and July 13, 2011. During the first week of the release, most juveniles moved short distances, daily, but they increasedtheir distances after the first week. The body weight of the juveniles was negatively related with the movement rate (dividingthe number of movements by the number of relocations), which was positively related with the mean daily distancesmoved and the size of both a kernel 50% and 95% home range. During the study period, the juveniles moved daily, approximately17 m, and the size of the minimum convex polygon and the 50% and 95% kernel home ranges were 1.8 ha, 0.4ha, and 3.0 ha, respectively. The released captive-bred juveniles were more frequently confirmed underground or on theground rather than on rocks or on trees. Our results suggest that the body condition of released individuals, the seasonaltime of the release, and the existence of available prey and shelters in the habitat should be carefully considered whenreleasing captive-bred Amur ratsnake juveniles for the rehabilitation of field populations.