Search

The short-eared owl (Asia flammeus), which lives in open wetland habitats, has been threatened and become endangered in South Korea due to the destruction and loss of its habitats. However, the diet of the short-eared owl remains to be studied. The prey of the short-eared owl was monitored using molecular methods as an alternative tool. A total of 121 pellets of the species were collected in the Dalsung wetland. Of these pellets, about 30% (n = 33) were selected for prey identification in 2002 (n = 12), 2003 (n = 6) and 2006 (n = 15). Two hundred and thirty-two bone fragments were successfully analyzed and 9 prey species were detected. In an expanded analysis, excluding 4 pellets used for the preliminary analysis, small mammals constituted the highest percentage (89.1%): 47.6% Eurasian field mouse (Apodemus agrarius); 27.2% European harvest mouse (Micromys minutus); 6.1% Japanese wild house mouse (Mus musculus); 5.4% Asian lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura shantungensis); and 2.7% Norway rat (Battus norvegicus). Not only small mammals, but birds and amphibians were also identified: 4.1% Japanese quail (Cotumix japonica); 3.4% vinous-throated parrotbill (Paradoxornis webbianus); 0.7% eastern turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis); and 2.7% Kori salamander (Hynobius yangi). This result would be valuable in understanding the feeding ecology of the short-eared owl in its wetland habitats.

There are five representative ungulates (e.g., goral,Nemorhaedus caudatus; goat,Capra hircus; roe deer,Capreolus pygargus; water deer,Hydropotes inermis; musk deer,Moschus moschiferus) in the wild of South Korea. Their fecal morphologies are similar to each other between species or sexes, and therefore it is very difficult to identify the species or sex. To distinguish the species and sex of the elusive animals, we developed species- and sex-specific multiple PCR amplifications using pairs of primer sets. Partial cytochromeb gene andZfx/Zfy introns were targeted for the PCR amplifications. For species identification using a multiple primer set (BJGL-F1/GT-F1/RD-F1/WD-F1/MD-F1 and BJGL-R/GT-R/RD-R/WD-R /MD-R), all (n=21/21) of the invasive samples were correctly identified. About 71% (n=15/21) of the non-invasive samples were successfully identified. The multiple primer set could determine each species which showed a unique sized PCR fragment. For sex identification using a multiple primer set (BJSexX-F/Y-F and BJSex-R1), about 90% (n=19/21) of invasive samples were correctly determined. About 62% (n=13/21) of the non-invasive samples were successfully identified. Using the multiple primer set, both X-and Y-chromosome linked bands for males (n=21) and only X-chromosome linked band for females (n=11) could be detected. The results would be applicable to the species and sex identification of the Korean and the Far-East Asian wild ungulates.