Waif Gopher Tortoise Survival and Site Fidelity Following Translocation

Periodic assessments of population status and trends to detect natural influences and human effects on coastal dolphin are often limited by lack of baseline information. Here, we investigated for the first time the site-fidelity patterns and estimated the population size of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the Tiber River estuary (central Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian Sea, Rome, Italy) between 2017 and 2020. We used photo-identification data and site-fidelity metrics to study the tendency of dolphins to remain in, or return to, the study area, and capture–recapture models to estimate the population abundance. In all, 347 unique individuals were identified. The hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted 3 clusters, labeled resident (individuals encountered at least five times, in three different months, over three distinct years; n = 42), part-time (individuals encountered at least on two occasions in a month, in at least two different years; n = 73), and transient (individuals encountered on more than one occasion, in more than 1 month, none of them in more than 1 year; n = 232), each characterized by site-fidelity metrics. Open POPAN modeling estimated a population size of 529 individuals (95% CI: 456–614), showing that the Capitoline (Roman) coastal area and nearby regions surrounding the Tiber River estuary represent an important, suitable habitat for bottlenose dolphins, despite their proximity to one of the major urban centers in the world (the city of Rome). Given the high number of individuals in the area and the presence of resident individuals with strong site fidelity, we suggest that conservation plans should not be focused only close to the Tiber River mouths but extended to cover a broader scale of area.

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Green morays (Gymnothorax funebris) have sedentary ways in mangrove bays, but also ontogenetic forays to reef enclaves

Environmental Biology of Fishes ◽

10.1007/s10641-021-01137-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew S. Kendall ◽

Laughlin Siceloff ◽

Ashley Ruffo ◽

Arliss Winship ◽

Mark E. Monaco

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

Site Fidelity ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Range Size ◽

Caribbean Region ◽

History Of ◽

High Site ◽

Single Night ◽

Exploratory Movements ◽

Moray Eel

AbstractSurprisingly, little is known about basic life history of the largest moray eel species in the Caribbean region, the green moray eel (Gymnothorax funebris). Sixteen eels were captured from the mangrove fringe in multiple bays on St. Croix, USVI, implanted with coded acoustic transmitters, and their movements were tracked for up to 11 months using an array of 37 stationary acoustic receivers. They exhibited high site fidelity in the bays during their residence, using the same general parts of individual bays and did not switch bays except for one individual. There was no relationship between eel size (mean TL = 83 cm, range = 54–126 cm) and home range size (mean area of 95% KUD = 5.8 ha ± 0.7 SE). Most individuals were more frequently detected at night than during the day suggesting greater nocturnal activity. Several of the larger eels (mean TL = 93 cm ± 5.9 SE) showed clear and permanent emigration tracks out of the mangrove estuary to coral reef habitats offshore. For some individuals, these habitat shifts were preceded by exploratory movements away from the eel’s typical home range the night before emigration. All final emigration events took place nocturnally, happened during a single night, and occurred during months from December to May. Mean emigration speed was 3.4 km/h. This study is the first documentation of an ontogenetic habitat shift in moray eels, as well as the first determination of home range size for this species and their site fidelity in mangrove habitats.

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Diverse patterns of migratory timing, site use, and site fidelity by Alaska‐breeding Whimbrels

Journal of Field Ornithology ◽

10.1111/jofo.12365 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel R. Ruthrauff ◽

Christopher M. Harwood ◽

T. Lee Tibbitts ◽

Nils Warnock ◽

Robert E. Gill

Keyword(s):

Site Fidelity ◽

Site Use ◽

Migratory Timing

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Movement syndromes of a Neotropical frugivorous bat inhabiting heterogeneous landscapes in Brazil

Movement Ecology ◽

10.1186/s40462-021-00266-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Patricia Kerches-Rogeri ◽

Danielle Leal Ramos ◽

Jukka Siren ◽

Beatriz de Oliveira Teles ◽

Rafael Souza Cruz Alves ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Site Fidelity ◽

Animal Movement ◽

Radio Telemetry ◽

Food Resource ◽

Movement Behavior ◽

Movement Activity ◽

Landscape Features ◽

Heterogeneous Landscapes ◽

Movement Data ◽

High Site

Abstract Background There is growing evidence that individuals within populations can vary in both habitat use and movement behavior, but it is still not clear how these two relate to each other. The aim of this study was to test if and how individual bats in a Stunira lilium population differ in their movement activity and preferences for landscape features in a correlated manner. Methods We collected data on movements of 27 individuals using radio telemetry. We fitted a heterogeneous-space diffusion model to the movement data in order to evaluate signals of movement variation among individuals. Results S. lilium individuals generally preferred open habitat with Solanum fruits, regularly switched between forest and open areas, and showed high site fidelity. Movement variation among individuals could be summarized in four movement syndromes: (1) average individuals, (2) forest specialists, (3) explorers which prefer Piper, and (4) open area specialists which prefer Solanum and Cecropia. Conclusions Individual preferences for landscape features plus food resource and movement activity were correlated, resulting in different movement syndromes. Individual variation in preferences for landscape elements and food resources highlight the importance of incorporating explicitly the interaction between landscape structure and individual heterogeneity in descriptions of animal movement.

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Population dynamics and site fidelity of the cave bat,Myotis velifer, in Oklahoma

Journal of Mammalogy ◽

10.1093/jmammal/gyv095 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 96 (5) ◽

pp. 946-956 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Stephen R. Humphrey ◽

Madan K. Oli

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Site Fidelity

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Comprehensive health assessment and blood analyte reference intervals of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in southeastern FL, USA

Conservation Physiology ◽

10.1093/conphys/coab015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Annie Page-Karjian ◽

Kathleen Rafferty ◽

Clerson Xavier ◽

Nicole I Stacy ◽

Jon A Moore ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plasma Protein ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Keystone Species ◽

Reference Intervals ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Gopher Tortoise ◽

Gopherus Polyphemus ◽

Baseline Information ◽

Mycoplasma Spp

Abstract The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), a keystone species, is declining throughout its geographic range. Lack of knowledge with respect to the potential infectious diseases present within wild populations creates a dilemma for wildlife biologists, conservationists and public policy makers. The objective of this study was to conduct a health assessment of two previously unstudied gopher tortoise aggregations located at two sites in southeastern FL. Samples were collected from 91 tortoises (48 adults, 35 juveniles, 8 hatchlings) captured at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, in Fort Pierce, FL, USA in 2019, and Loggerhead Park in Juno Beach, FL, USA, during 2018–2019. Samples of blood, nasal swabs and oral/cloacal swabs were analyzed for hematology, plasma protein electrophoretic profiles and infectious disease testing including Mycoplasma spp. serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for Ranavirus, Herpesvirus and Anaplasma spp. Hematological and plasma protein electrophoresis reference intervals are presented for adult and juvenile tortoises from both sites combined. Clinical signs consistent with upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) were observed in 18/91 (20%) tortoises, and antibodies to Mycoplasma agassizii were detected in 33/77 (42.9%) tortoises. Adult tortoises were significantly more likely than juveniles to have URTD clinical signs, and statistically significant, positive relationships were observed between the presence of antibodies to Mycoplasma spp. and carapace length, packed cell volume and plasma globulin concentrations. Anaplasma spp. inclusions were observed in 8/82 (10%) tortoises, but PCR detected Anaplasma sp. in 21/83 (25%) tortoises. Herpesvirus and Ranavirus were not detected in any blood or swab samples. This work contributes important baseline information on the health of gopher tortoises toward the southern end of the species’ range.

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Minimizing Potential Allee Effects in Psittacine Reintroductions: An Example from Puerto Rico

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13010013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 13

Author(s):

Thomas H. White ◽

Wilfredo Abreu ◽

Gabriel Benitez ◽

Arelis Jhonson ◽

Marisel Lopez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Site Fidelity ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Allee Effects ◽

Species Reintroduction ◽

Social Species ◽

Potential Applicability ◽

Amazona Vittata ◽

Puerto Rican Parrot ◽

Release Strategy

The family Psittacidae is comprised of over 400 species, an ever-increasing number of which are considered threatened with extinction. In recent decades, conservation strategies for these species have increasingly employed reintroduction as a technique for reestablishing populations in previously extirpated areas. Because most Psittacines are highly social and flocking species, reintroduction efforts may face the numerical and methodological challenge of overcoming initial Allee effects during the critical establishment phase of the reintroduction. These Allee effects can result from failures to achieve adequate site fidelity, survival and flock cohesion of released individuals, thus jeopardizing the success of the reintroduction. Over the past 20 years, efforts to reestablish and augment populations of the critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vittata) have periodically faced the challenge of apparent Allee effects. These challenges have been mitigated via a novel release strategy designed to promote site fidelity, flock cohesion and rapid reproduction of released parrots. Efforts to date have resulted in not only the reestablishment of an additional wild population in Puerto Rico, but also the reestablishment of the species in the El Yunque National Forest following its extirpation there by the Category 5 hurricane Maria in 2017. This promising release strategy has potential applicability in reintroductions of other psittacines and highly social species in general.

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