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

– Candidate for listing under Endangered Species Act

• Translocation – Supplement small populations– Restore extirpated populations

The Purpose

• Translocation con’t– Highly unsucessful

translocation history

• 60% mortality rate & sometimes much lower

• Predation • Dispersal• Social factors

regarding colonial species

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

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

Results

• 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

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