Effects of source population and holding time on northern bobwhite translocation success

Date

2022-05

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Abstract

Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have become a species of great conservation priority because of widespread and ongoing population declines. Translocations of wild individuals have been readily utilized to re-establish viable populations. Long-distance translocations are becoming increasingly necessary to access a source population with densities high enough to support translocation. Two uncertainties exist regarding the efficacy of long-distance translocations: choosing a source population with adaptations that will be successful in a novel environment and mitigating the stress response common during the translocation process. I translocated bobwhites from the South Texas Plains and the Floridian Coastal Plain to a recipient site in the Floridian Coastal Plain to compare the survival and reproductive success of bobwhites translocated from two different source populations. I also evaluated how varying holding times during the translocation process and using antioxidant-enriched feed for stress mitigation influenced the success of the translocated individuals. Breeding season survival was similar between source populations; however, productivity was lower for the bobwhites translocated from the South Texas Plains. Translocated bobwhites held for 12-14 days had lower survival than those held for < 48 hours and 6-8 days. I observed high rates of mortality during the transport and holding processes, but treatment with an antioxidant-enriched feed prior to capture effectively reduced holding mortalities. Long-distance translocated bobwhites may have the adaptive capacity to be successful in novel environments, but the consequences of translocation stress are detrimental. This knowledge will ultimately inform future translocation practices to better improve ongoing bobwhite restoration efforts.


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Keywords

Colinus Virginianus, Northern Bobwhite, Population Restoration, Productivity, Stress, Survival, Translocation

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