Abstract:We set up 10 line transects to investigate habitat selection of dwarf blue sheep and goral at Zhubalong Nature Reserve in Batang of Sichuan Province from October to December, 2007. The chi-square test and Mann-Whitey U test were used to analyze the raw data. Dwarf blue sheep preferred areas with the following attributes: well-sheltered from wind, lithoid or partially lithoid substrates, 10%-40% shrub canopy cover, 5 or more shrub species, tall shrubs (>100 cm), 6 or more herbaceous species, short (<20 cm) or tall (>40 cm) grasses, cliffy (>60°) and sunny slope, low (<30%) or high (>60%) levels of concealment, moderate distance to water source (>500 m), short distance to bare rock (<2 m), moderate distance to forest edge (1000-1500 m), low altitude (2 600-2 800 m), moderate distance to human disturbance (500-1 000 m) and animal disturbance (80-150 m). Goral preferred areas with the following attributes: upper slope or ridge, 10%-40% shrub canopy cover, 6 or more shrub species, tall shrubs (>100 cm), 4-5 herbaceous species, tall grasses (>40 cm), steep (>60°) and sunny slope, moderate distance to water source (>1 000 m), moderate distance to animal disturbance (80-150 m), long distance to human disturbance (>1 000 m), high (>60%) levels of concealment, short distance to forest edge (<1 500 m), high altitude (>2 800 m). The results of factor analysis indicated that habitat selection of dwarf blue sheep was mainly influenced by distance to human disturbance, altitude, distance to forest edge, distance to water source, shrub height, level of concealment, wind speed and distance to animal disturbance. Habitat selection of goral was mainly influenced by distance to human disturbance, altitude, distance to forest edge, distance to water source, slope position, shrub canopy cover, shrub height, level of concealment, slope aspect and wind direction. In conclusion, there was significant difference in habitat selection, habitat utilization and spatial niche between dwarf blue sheep and goral despite the two species’ partially overlapping resource niches．
