Habitat Suitability Modeling of Urial (Ovis orientalis arkal) on the Area Around Dareh Anjir Wildlife Refuge, Yazd Province

We developed predictive habitat models for Urial (Ovis orientalis arkal) population in the Dareh Anjir Wildlife Refuge in Yazd province, using one Geographic Information System modeling technique, Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA). For this purpose, we used presence-only data to predict the suitability of habitat for Urial and 25 environment layers were used to the model as independent variables. According to the modeling, four habitat patches were identified in this area. Among of the nine habitat variables used in this study, variables of altitude, slope, vegetation type, distance from the roads, and distance from predator had the greatest plays for habitat suitability of Urial in this area, and the variable of distance from village had less effect than other variables. Urial in the study area did not prefer any particular direction and had distributed in all directions. Generally, on the base of the modeling, about 30% of the wildlife refuges were suitable for the Urial.