Individual‐based assessment of post‐translocation fitness of ungulates: Lessons from the critically endangered Derby eland conservation programme
Abstract Translocations have become an essential tool in animal conservation for establishing and maintaining viable populations. Yet, the viability of a population is implicitly based on the individual fitness, that is on the survival and reproduction of individuals. Individual‐based assessments of...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Conservation Science and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12837 |
| _version_ | 1811178053349408768 |
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| author | Karolína Brandlová Pavla Hejcmanová |
| author_facet | Karolína Brandlová Pavla Hejcmanová |
| author_sort | Karolína Brandlová |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Translocations have become an essential tool in animal conservation for establishing and maintaining viable populations. Yet, the viability of a population is implicitly based on the individual fitness, that is on the survival and reproduction of individuals. Individual‐based assessments of post‐translocation fitness are challenging in the wild while conservation breeding programs may provide vital insights. Long‐term breeding records of semi‐captive (fenced) small population of the Western Derby eland (Taurotragus derbianus derbianus) running in two fenced reserves in Senegal present a case study. This study shows that transport distance and the individual's age at translocation influence animal post‐translocation survival rates and individual reproductive performance. The most critical period for the antelope's post‐translocation survival was the first 2 years following the event, with higher mortalities reported after long‐distance transport in an ecologically novel environment. The first successful calving of translocated females was postponed by 1 year, but the life‐long reproductive performance was not affected. However, higher calf survival in a habitat similar to that in the wild suggests a non‐negligible effect of the habitat on individual fitness, thus crucial to conservation decisions on translocating threatened species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:11:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c2ddf36de81451881d16f658dc1887a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2578-4854 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:11:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Science and Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c2ddf36de81451881d16f658dc1887a2022-12-22T04:41:13ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542022-12-01412n/an/a10.1111/csp2.12837Individual‐based assessment of post‐translocation fitness of ungulates: Lessons from the critically endangered Derby eland conservation programmeKarolína Brandlová0Pavla Hejcmanová1Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Prague Czech RepublicFaculty of Tropical AgriSciences Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Prague Czech RepublicAbstract Translocations have become an essential tool in animal conservation for establishing and maintaining viable populations. Yet, the viability of a population is implicitly based on the individual fitness, that is on the survival and reproduction of individuals. Individual‐based assessments of post‐translocation fitness are challenging in the wild while conservation breeding programs may provide vital insights. Long‐term breeding records of semi‐captive (fenced) small population of the Western Derby eland (Taurotragus derbianus derbianus) running in two fenced reserves in Senegal present a case study. This study shows that transport distance and the individual's age at translocation influence animal post‐translocation survival rates and individual reproductive performance. The most critical period for the antelope's post‐translocation survival was the first 2 years following the event, with higher mortalities reported after long‐distance transport in an ecologically novel environment. The first successful calving of translocated females was postponed by 1 year, but the life‐long reproductive performance was not affected. However, higher calf survival in a habitat similar to that in the wild suggests a non‐negligible effect of the habitat on individual fitness, thus crucial to conservation decisions on translocating threatened species.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12837antelopeconservation translocationDerby elandlarge mammalendangered speciespost‐release survival |
| spellingShingle | Karolína Brandlová Pavla Hejcmanová Individual‐based assessment of post‐translocation fitness of ungulates: Lessons from the critically endangered Derby eland conservation programme Conservation Science and Practice antelope conservation translocation Derby eland large mammal endangered species post‐release survival |
| title | Individual‐based assessment of post‐translocation fitness of ungulates: Lessons from the critically endangered Derby eland conservation programme |
| title_full | Individual‐based assessment of post‐translocation fitness of ungulates: Lessons from the critically endangered Derby eland conservation programme |
| title_fullStr | Individual‐based assessment of post‐translocation fitness of ungulates: Lessons from the critically endangered Derby eland conservation programme |
| title_full_unstemmed | Individual‐based assessment of post‐translocation fitness of ungulates: Lessons from the critically endangered Derby eland conservation programme |
| title_short | Individual‐based assessment of post‐translocation fitness of ungulates: Lessons from the critically endangered Derby eland conservation programme |
| title_sort | individual based assessment of post translocation fitness of ungulates lessons from the critically endangered derby eland conservation programme |
| topic | antelope conservation translocation Derby eland large mammal endangered species post‐release survival |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12837 |
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