Movement Patterns of Feral Goats in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawai’i

Abstract

This study determined the movement patterns of the feral goats inhabiting the Pohakuloa Training Area of Hawai’i. Analysis showed that weather, specifically rainfall, seasonality, and air temperature, significantly affected the feral goats’ habitat selection. Furthermore, the sexually dimorphic male and female feral goats showed different habitat preferences. Twelve goats, six male and six female, were collared, and their locations were tracked every two hours for one year. Combining the GPS locations with plant communities, air temperature, and rainfall data, analysis was done to show that feral goats selectively chose habitats based on weather, and sexual segregation. Ever since feral goats were introduced into the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, they caused detrimental effects on Hawai’i’s ecosystem (Coblentz 1978). The problem Hawai’i currently faces is how to manage the feral goat population so that further damage can be prevented without unethical means such as completely eradicating all the feral goats living in Hawai’i.