Waif Gopher Tortoise Survival and Site Fidelity Following Translocation

McKee, Rebecca K.; Buhlmann, Kurt A.; Moore, Clinton T.; Hepinstall‐Cymerman, Jeffrey; Tuberville, Tracey D.

doi:10.1002/jwmg.21998

Waif Gopher Tortoise Survival and Site Fidelity Following Translocation

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Journal of Wildlife Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21998· OSTI ID:1817662

McKee, Rebecca K. ^[1]; Buhlmann, Kurt A. ^[2]; Moore, Clinton T. ^[3]; Hepinstall‐Cymerman, Jeffrey ^[3]; Tuberville, Tracey D. ^[2]

Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); SREL
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL)
Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) are among the most commonly translocated reptiles. While there are risks associated with any translocation, waif tortoises— animals frequently of unknown origin that have been displaced from the wild and often held in human possession for various reasons and durations—are generally excluded from translocation projects due to 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, as 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). Due to 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. Furthermore, these results suggest that waif tortoises could be an important resource in reducing the extirpation risk of isolated populations.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Lab. (SREL)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: FC09-07SR22506

OSTI ID:: 1817662

Journal Information:: Journal of Wildlife Management, Journal Name: Journal of Wildlife Management Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 85; ISSN 0022-541X

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
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