Reintroductions Australian and New Zealand perspectives Canadian reintroductions Case studies The good, the bad and the ugly?? Other issues to consider

Australia 100+ species of plants and animals have gone extinct in the last 200 yrs Mammals 25 species extinct 10 species only on islands 17 species in remnant habitat 10% of their pre-European range

Australia Fig 1 Cardillo and Bromham 2001 Medium and large species are more vulnerable to extinction

Reintroductions in Australia Many macropod reintroductions have been attempted Success rate Islands no predators 82% Mainland/island with predators 8% Failure attributed to predation - foxes and cats Short 1992

Reintroductions in Australia PREDATOR FREE ISLANDS EgFaure Island Sanctuary, WA 2002 Burrowing bettong20 released now Shark Bay Mouse 100 released now all over island 2005 Banded hare wallaby16 released “thriving”

Faure Island 6000 ha

What about the mainland? Australian Wildlife Conservancy Triple barrier sanctuaries release Predator removal Predator control fence 12 km buffer zone Woylie Karakamia Sanctuary

Reintroductions in Australia Basic premise Limit the impact of predation IMPACT = NUMBER X EFFICIENCY Options Lethal Control Fertility Reduce Primary Prey Eg Flinders Range Rabbit haemmorhagic disease Rabbit population down 85% Fox and cat population down 40%

Limit the impact of predation IMPACT = NUMBER X EFFICIENCY Options Pre-release training Aversion therapy Enhance refuges Stokes et al.2004 Wire net

Limit the impact of predation Stokes et al.2004 Wire net Refuges from predation Giving up densities Foraging path Wire net

New Zealand Area of NZ - 27 million hectares Area not invaded by exotics 2000 ha No terrestrial mammals prior to humans But 245 spp birds 71 % endemic Early Extinctions 33 Post-European extinctions19 Cause - exploitation - invasive spp - 33 mammals

Conservation in New Zealand Step 1 % conservation budget - 40% Area where exotics eradicated 30,000 ha Islands > 55 ha: 53 one spp removed 36 free of all introduced spp

Reintroductions in New Zealand Black robin 1977: 1 female 1994: 200 Examples Giant weta 2001: 81 released producing young Tuatara Releases on 4 islands Number translocations >400 Number animal taxa

Reintroductions in New Zealand Restoration aims recreate structure, function and dynamics of original ecosystem What do you do if keystone spp is extinct? Norfolk island - 2 extinct pigeons Chatham Island - extinct parrot

What do you do if keystone spp is extinct? Consider use of a “functional surrogate”

Reintroductions In Australia and New Zealand Common tool to -reduce extinction risk of vulnerable species -- restore degraded ecosystems Key factor: removal/control of predators Why? Introduced predators are the major cause of population declines

Exploring reintroductions In Canada Why? 1)577 Species at Risk 70% of Recovery Plans consider translocations 2) Climate Change and possible need to re-assemble communities

Reintroductions: the good?

Reintroductions: Burrowing Owl

Reintroductions: Burrowing Owl Population< 1000 pairs in Canada declines 22%/yr Issues - habitat loss - lack of burrows - shortage of food - vulnerability to predators - migration - fewer refuges - wintering grounds ??????

Reintroductions: Burrowing Owl In BC Attempt Vaseaux/Osoyoos Lake Wild ct breeding pairs released in artificial burrow Produced young But no birds returned to site FAILED

Reintroductions: Burrowing Owl In BC Attempt now Thompson/Nicola Captive breeding in Vancouver/Kamloops 1 yr old birds released at historical sites artificial colonies created by volunteers

Reintroductions: Burrowing Owl

Reintroductions: Burrowing Owl Attempt 2 - owls breed, migrate and return - population small but increasing Additional benefits ongoing research on captive breeding public outreach and education landowner support for initiative modified grazing regimes improvements to grassland habitat

Reintroductions: Vancouver Island marmot Numbers in wild Distribution 25 sites on 13 mountains; 67% of animals on 4 mountains

Vancouver Island marmot Occupy small patches of sub- alpine meadow Patches available but no longer colonized Issues: logging and clearcuts predation disease climate change (snowfall/snowpack)

Reintroductions: Vancouver Island marmot removed for captive breeding more removed facilities animals Releases (all 1-2 yrs - all dispersed -- >killed) (6 m 3 f; all 2 yrs) (10 m 5 f; all 2 yrs)

A marmot update 2008 total releases = litters born 7 litters with 1+ captive parent

A marmot update Captivity77162 Wild21102 Mountains with Marmots4 17 Possible pairs 3 17+

Summary Reintroductions Are an increasingly common tool Are successful if the cause of declines are known and eliminated/reduced Are less successful if the reasons for declines are uncertain

Genetic issues in reintroductions 1.Where do we get individuals from? Natural selection ---> local adaptation To far away ---> hybridisation/outbreeding depression 2. How many founders are needed? Too few --> low genetic diversity and inbreeding depression?

Practical issues in reintroductions How and whom to release? Soft or hard introductions Age/number/relationships of individuals