Ditermining Habitat Suitabilityof Ovis orientalis isfahanica in Mothe wildlife refuge using ENFA

Isfahan wild sheep Ovis orientalis isphahanica is listed as vulnerable in the IUCN red list of threatened species. Adequate knowledge on habitat requirements and environmental factors determining the niche of a species is central to its conservation programmes. However, there is scarcity of data on habitat associations of this species in Iran. A GIS-based model, using presence-only data, was used to predict habitat suitability for this species in Mooteh Wildlife Refuge. This study has determined the most important environmental factors influencing the ecological niche of Isfahan mouflon and has identified suitable seasonal habitats in the study area. Results showed that during summer and autumn a large part of the suitable habitats of this species is covered with Artemisia aucheri, while in winter and spring areas covered with Artemisia siberi acquire the higher suitability. This is consistent with the vertical migration of the species as the results of this study revealed that in summer and autumn higher elevation has higher suitability, whereas in winter and spring the suitability of lower elevations is higher. Slopes over 30% and distance to water sources in summer were recognized as limiting factors for the distribution of this species. The influence of other factors (such as distance to roads, mines and cultivated lands) on habitat preference was negligible.