SEASONAL MOVEMENTS OF FEMALE CORSICAN MOUFLON (OVIS-AMMON) IN A MEDITERRANEAN MOUNTAIN-RANGE, SOUTHERN FRANCE

The spatial occupation of female Corsican mouflon (Ovis ammon) in medium Mediterranean mountains of southern France, was studied between the end of 1987 and June 1989. It can be divided into two seasonal home ranges, one in fall/winter, and one in spring/summer. Both seasonal home ranges start with a period of intense locomotive activity in the different individuals. This behaviour could be explained by a general inclination of the animals to move on a large scale, the expression of this inclination being allowed by the favourable environmental conditions in spring and fall. In any case, the comparison of our results with those obtained from mountain populations of the genus Ovis, suggests that 'phylogenetic inertia' exists towards certain modalities in spatial occupation. Indeed, the observed seasonal movements do not seem to retain a real adaptive character in our Mediterranean study area, as shown by the overlap of ranges, the use of the same type of habitat during the seasons and the great variability between individuals.