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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2026, Vol. 62 ›› Issue (6): 205-215.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.LYKX20250713

• Research papers • Previous Articles    

Impact of Stray Dogs on the Activity Rhythms of Wildlife in Beijing Songshan National Nature Reserve

Zhengyu Zhang1,2,Yaqian Fan3,Qi Sun3,Qiaoli Duan3,Yingying Han2,Weidong Bao1,2,*()   

  1. 1. National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, Beijing Forestry University Beijing 100083
    2. College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University Beijing 100083
    3. Beijing Songshan National Nature Reserve Administration Beijing 102115
  • Received:2025-11-26 Revised:2026-04-12 Online:2026-06-10 Published:2026-06-13
  • Contact: Weidong Bao E-mail:wdbao@bjfu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Objective: This study aims to address the issue of stray dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) invasion into Beijing Songshan National Nature Reserve, which initially arose from village relocation in the Yanqing Zone of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, through examining the disturbance imposed by such dogs on six dominant wild mammal species within the reserve. Method: Based on camera trap monitoring data from 2021 to 2023, this study employed spatiotemporal niche modeling and nonparametric kernel density estimation to examine whether stray dog activity influences wildlife occurrence within the reserve. Result: The population of stray dogs exhibited a phased pattern of spatial expansion. During venue construction and the Games period, dogs were largely restricted to the competition zone and its immediate surroundings. After the event, they continued to disperse deeper into the core area of the nature reserve. Furthermore, the stray dogs exhibited a highly consistent bimodal daily activity pattern, with peak activity occurring from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 20:00 to 02:00 the next day. In the activity area of stray dogs, the activity pattern of roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) shifted from unimodal peak (08:00—12:00) to a bimodal pattern, with peaks occurring at 06:00—10:00 and 17:00—19:00. The activity pattern of Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus) shifted from a unimodal peak (18:00—22:00) to a bimodal pattern in 2022 (05:00—09:00 and 17:00—19:00), with its activity peaks narrowing markedly in 2023 (05:00—07:00 and 14:00—17:00). Wild boar (Sus scrofa) exhibited a marked preference for afternoon activity (14:00—20:00). Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) shifted their peak activity from 23:00—02:00(the following day) in 2021 to a wider interval of 20:00—03:00(the following day) in 2022. However, by 2023, the detection rate of raccoon dogs declined sharply, and no distinct activity rhythm could be distinguished. The common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) exhibited a shift in its activity peaks from 06:00—10:00 and 14:00—17:00 in 2021 to 05:00—09:00 and 13:00—16:00 in 2022. This bimodal pattern further differentiated in 2023, extending to 06:00—10:00 and 14:00—19:00. Conversely, the activity peak of the Koklass pheasant (Pucrasia macrolopha), initially concentrated between 15:00—19:00 in 2021, had completely shifted to the 06:00—11:00 in 2023. Conclusion: Wildlife activity in Songshan National Nature Reserve shows a distinct temporal cumulative effect in response to the disturbance of stray dogs. As the activity range of stray dogs expands, the living space of wildlife is continuously compressed, and the original activity rhythms of wildlife have been forced to adjust. To alleviate the persistent and progressive pressure exerted by stray dogs on native wildlife within the reserve, the formulation and implementation of scientific and humane management strategies have become an urgent priority for the reserve authority.

Key words: stray dogs, activity rhythm, camera traps, generalized linear mixed models, invasive predator

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