Investigation on Habitat Suitability of Gazella Subgutturosa in Kalmand-Bahadoran Protected Area in Yazd Province

A study was conducted to determine habitat suitability of Goitred Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) in Kalmand-Bahadoran Protected Area during four seasons of year 2003-2004.The geographic position of dispersal points of gazelle herds was recorded with Global Position System. The data were transmitted into attributed tables in Arc view Software and their layers were created. The maps of slope, altitude, plant types, vegetation cover, soil types, water sources, roads, villages and farms were provided for gazelle habitat in study area and were digitized. These maps were analyzed with the layers of gazelle observations in the GIS software (Idrisi) and the habitat suitability maps of species were prepared. Chi-square tests showed the relationships between these environmental factors and gazelles dispersal were significant. Also the results of this study showed that in all seasons, gazelles showed high tendency to the adjacent farms. In Kalmand-Bahadoran Protected Area the gazelle habitats had the following suitability percentage; High 11?, Medium 40.3? and Low 48.7?.