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Effect of Family Support on the Success of Translocated Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs

Effect of Family Support on the Success of Translocated Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs. Kelly Finnegan. Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs. Purpose. Black-tailed Prairie dog Keystone species in grassland ecosystem Declined 98% in Great Plains Overhunting Habitat shortage Colony fragmentation

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Effect of Family Support on the Success of Translocated Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs

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  1. Effect of Family Support on the Success of Translocated Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs Kelly Finnegan

  2. Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs

  3. Purpose • Black-tailed Prairie dog • Keystone species in grassland ecosystem • Declined 98% in Great Plains • Overhunting • Habitat shortage • Colony fragmentation • Candidate for listing under Endangered Species Act • Translocation • Supplement small populations • Restore extirpated populations

  4. The Purpose • Translocation con’t • Highly unsucessful translocation history • 60% mortality rate & sometimes much lower • Predation • Dispersal • Social factors regarding colonial species

  5. The Stuuuuudy • Vermejo Park Ranch, New Mexico • 10 uninhabited sites within the historical range of Prairie Dog • Match sites for family translocated (FT) and nonfamily translocated (NFT) • “484 FT & 489 NFT -> 87-103 individuals per site • Individuals chosen randomly from edge and center of colonies • Soft release” via acclimation cages

  6. Measuring Success • Retrapping ear-tagged animals and counting the emergent young in the spring • Record deceased individuals from release group • Determine population viability • Dispersed individuals considered deceased because they no longer contribute to the population’s viability

  7. Family Translocated Increased survival chance by 5x Females had higher reproductive success Mean number of emergent pups higher than NFT Survival increased with family size Behavioral differences (eg. Travel, greetings, play, allogrooming, foraging, & alarm calling Excavated burrow faster Nonfamily Translocated Adults had lower survival rates especially females Females that successfully weaned pups had equal litter size Predation pressure significantly decreased survival Behavioral differences (eg disorientation, extended travel) Higher # of vigilant individuals Results

  8. Discussion • Results suggest that any species dependent upon social interactions for survival and reproduction may benefit substantially from the maintenance of social groups during translocation… • Shier, D.M. (2006) Effect of Family Support on the Success of Translocated Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs Conservation Biology Vol. 20 No.6 : p1780-1790

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