Assessing mammal diversity in a national park containing a military zone: a case study from Gyeryongsan National Park

Military zones (MZs) can provide important opportunities for conserving natural ecosystems. Gyeryongsan National Park contains both MZs and non-military zones (NMZs), offering a setting to assess the role of MZs in biodiversity conservation. To examine medium- and large-sized mammal distribution, we deployed 21 camera-traps from May to November 2021—six in the MZ and 15 in the NMZ—and compiled 36 environmental predictors across multiple spatial scales. Temporal activity patterns were compared between zones using kernel density estimation, and spatial habitat use was assessed with Bayesian single-species occupancy models. Community composition was broadly similar between zones; however, two disturbance-sensitive carnivores, the leopard cat ( Prionailurus bengalensis ) and yellow-throated marten ( Martes flavigula ), differed in their spatiotemporal responses. The leopard cat showed higher estimated occupancy in the MZ, whereas the marten exhibited zone-specific diel activity patterns. In contrast, several more disturbance-tolerant or generalist species, including water deer ( Hydropotes inermis ), wild boar ( Sus scrofa ), raccoon dog ( Nyctereutes procyonoides ), and Asian badger ( Meles leucurus ) were more strongly associated with the NMZ. Taken together, our results suggest that MZs can function as low-disturbance refuges for sensitive species and provide conservation value complementary to NMZs, although long-term, multi-site monitoring is needed to determine whether these findings can be generalized across military zones.