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Science 4 August 1989:
Vol. 245. no. 4917, pp. 477 - 480
DOI: 10.1126/science.245.4917.477
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Articles

Translocation as a Species Conservation Tool: Status and Strategy

BRAD GRIFFITH 1, J. MICHAEL SCOTT 2, JAMES W. CARPENTER 3, and CHRISTINE REED 4

1 Assistant leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (CFWRU), University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469.
2 Leader, USFWS, CFWRU, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843.
3 Research veterinarian, USFWS, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD 20708.
4 Conservation Officer, Department of Conservation, Twizel, New Zealand.

Surveys of recent (1973 to 1986) intentional releases of native birds and mammals to the wild in Australia, Canada, Hawaii, New Zealand, and the United States were conducted to document current activities, identify factors associated with success, and suggest guidelines for enhancing future work. Nearly 700 translocations were conducted each year. Native game species constituted 90 percent of translocations and were more successful (86 percent) than were translocations of threatened, endangered, or sensitive species (46 percent). Knowledge of habitat quality, location of release area within the species range, number of animals released, program length, and reproductive traits allowed correct classification of 81 percent of observed translocations as successful or not.


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)