Waif Gopher Tortoise Survival and Site Fidelity Following Translocation. Issue 4 (1st February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McKee, Rebecca K.; Buhlmann, Kurt A.; Moore, Clinton T.; Hepinstall‐Cymerman, Jeffrey; Tuberville, Tracey D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of wildlife management. Volume 85:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 640
• Page End: 653
• Publication Date: 2021-02-01
• Subjects: captivity -- Gopherus polyphemus -- gopher tortoise -- mark‐recapture -- population augmentation -- population dynamics -- population recovery -- translocation; Wildlife management -- Periodicals; Zoology -- Periodicals; 333.954
• DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21998
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-541X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Gopher tortoises ( Gopherus polyphemus ) are among the most commonly translocated reptiles. Waif tortoises are animals frequently of unknown origin that have been displaced from the wild and often held in human possession for various reasons and durations. Although there are risks associated with any translocation, waif tortoises are generally excluded from translocation projects because of heightened concerns of introducing pathogens and uncertainty about the post‐release survival of these individuals. If these risks could be managed, waif tortoises could have conservation value because they can provide the needed numbers to stabilize populations. In the early 1990s, the discovery of an isolated population of gopher tortoises (≤15 individuals) near Aiken, South Carolina, USA, prioritized establishment of the Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve (AGTHP). Because of the population's need for augmentation and the site's isolation from other tortoise populations, the AGTHP provided the opportunity to evaluate the post‐release survival of translocated waif tortoises without compromising a viable population. Since 2006, >260 waif tortoises have been introduced to the preserve. Using a Cormack‐Jolly‐Seber modeling framework to analyze release records and capture histories from trapping efforts in 2017 and 2018, we estimated the long‐term apparent survival and site fidelity of this population composed largely of waif tortoises. We estimated annual apparent survival probabilities to be high (≥0.90) for subadult, adult male, and adult female tortoises, and these rates were similar to those reported for wild‐to‐wild translocated gopher tortoises and those from unmanipulated populations. Of the tortoises recaptured within the boundaries of the preserve, 75% were located within 400 m of their release location. These results suggest that waif tortoises could be an important resource in reducing the extirpation risk of isolated populations. © 2021 The Wildlife Society. Abstract : Released waif gopher tortoises—formerly captive individuals or those of unknown provenance—exhibited high long‐term site fidelity and annual apparent survival rates similar to survival reported for unmanipulated populations and wild‐to‐wild translocated tortoises. Provided that risks can be managed, waif gopher tortoises can contribute to recovery of isolated populations in need of augmentation.