Activity patterns and habitat preferences of translocated and resident tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus) in a suburban landscape

Butler, H. E.; Malone, Brian S.; Clemann, Nick

doi:10.1071/wr04027

Cited by 33 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…A dedicated control group was studied during the time before and after translocation, but, prior to the act of translocation, the translocated group served as another control. While my study was relatively brief, lasting less than two weeks post-translocation, aberrant movements and spatial use were expected during that period (Butler et al, 2005), and thus I expected that, if physiology was to be affected as well, that it would occur during the same time frame. Chapter one mainly addresses the effect of LDT on rattlesnake thermoregulation, while also evaluating the impact on snake body condition and a suite of behaviors.…”

Section: Catenatus)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Though LDT is likely to remain a popular tool for managing snake populations, and it has been studied in a variety of species (Reinert and Rupert, 1999;Plummer and Mills, 2000;Nowak et al, 2002;Butler et al, 2005;Brown et al, 2008;Roe et al, 2010), studies have largely focused on the effects of LDT on spatial ecology (movements and activity range size) and mortality. Of the aforementioned studies, only Roe et al (2010) incorporated study of physiological impacts of LDT, studying the impact on body temperature in Northern Water Snakes (Nerodia s. sipedon).…”

Section: Catenatus)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, the usefulness of SDT is likely limited to mitigation of human-snake conflict, excluding conservation efforts such as population augmentation and re-establishment of extirpated populations. In contrast to SDT, LDT has been demonstrated to prevent the return of snakes to their initial capture area and it may be useful for population level conservation efforts as well as human-snake conflict mitigation (Reinert and Rupert, 1999;King et al, 2004;Butler et al, 2005;Brown et al, 2008). However, LDT is generally not recommended as a management strategy, as it can result in increased mortality, increased magnitude and frequency of movements, and increased activity range sizes (Reinert and Rupert, 1999;Nowak et al, 2002;Butler et al, 2005;Roe et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast to SDT, LDT has been demonstrated to prevent the return of snakes to their initial capture area and it may be useful for population level conservation efforts as well as human-snake conflict mitigation (Reinert and Rupert, 1999;King et al, 2004;Butler et al, 2005;Brown et al, 2008). However, LDT is generally not recommended as a management strategy, as it can result in increased mortality, increased magnitude and frequency of movements, and increased activity range sizes (Reinert and Rupert, 1999;Nowak et al, 2002;Butler et al, 2005;Roe et al, 2010). Increased movements and spatial use may result in greater exposure to predators and increased energy demands and may reflect a behavioral strategy to minimize the stress associated with introduction to a novel environment, as the animal searches for its original home range (Drugan et al, 1997;Dickens et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, LDT is likely to remain a popular management tool for two reasons. Firstly, in the context of mitigating conflict between venomous snakes and humans, LDT prevents the return of snakes to the initial conflict site, where the snake was perceived to be a threat (Reinert and Rupert, 1999;Butler et al, 2005;Brown et al, 2008). While short-distance translocation (SDT), which relocates an animal within its home range, is generally advocated as a strategy that is without negative consequences for the subject snakes (Brown et al, 2008;Brown et al, 2009, Holding et al, in press), the snakes return to the initial conflict site with such frequency that Hardy et al (2001) ceased to recommend SDT of rattlesnakes.…”

Section: General Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The behavioral and physiological effects of long-distance translocation on Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus)

Heiken¹

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Kory Hayden HeikenLong-distance translocation (LDT), the relocation of an animal outside of its home range, is a popular strategy for mitigating conflict between humans and venomous snakes. While LDT has been demonstrated to prevent a snake's return to the location of capture, it may result in increased mortality, magnitude and frequency of movements, and activity range sizes. Thus, it has generally been discouraged. However, the effects of LDT on stress physiology and thermoregulation have gone largely unstudied in reptiles.To elucidate these effects, we conducted an experimental LDT on Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) on Vandenberg Air Force base in California.Fourteen snakes were monitored, beginning in mid July 2012 and ending in early September. Each was implanted with a radio transmitter and iButton temperature data logger within the coelomic cavity. In late August, seven snakes were translocated to similar habitat, approximately 30 kilometers away, where they were monitored for 9-13 days. Prior to translocation, all snakes were tracked every other day, while after translocation all snakes were tracked every day. A 'Before-After Control-Impact' (BACI) experimental design was used, with a dedicated control group, but also with the translocated group serving as control prior to the act of translocation.We collected data on snake body temperatures (T b ) and temperatures (T e ) of physical operative temperature models (OTMs) that simulated non-thermoregulating snakes and allowed for a comparison of habitat thermal quality between our two study sites. Together, T b and T e allowed for a formal assessment of thermoregulatory effectiveness. Additionally, blood concentrations of corticosterone (CORT), the primary stress hormone in reptiles, and testosterone (T), a metric of male reproductive ability that is often negatively associated with CORT, were assayed just prior to translocation and again at the end of the study. During each of the two sampling periods, in addition to baseline hormone concentrations, stressed hormone concentrations were assayed following the application of an acute stressor (the baseline blood draw plus one hour's captivity in a plastic bucket). We also studied the effect of LDT on the CORT and T response (stressed concentration minus baseline concentration). Furthermore, we evaluated how LDT impacted a suite of behaviors related to defense and movement, as well as snake body mass and body condition index (BCI). Finally, we assessed the effects of LDT on movements and spatial use (activity range size). We sought to assess the effects of LDT on movements, spatial use, and behavior in order to facilitate comparison with other translocation studies, as well as to evaluate those impacts in a physiological context. In addition to assessing the impact of LDT on CORT and T separately, we v evaluated a relationship between the two steroid hormones, and, using a model selection approach, we evaluated relationships between CORT and T and movements and spatial use.The thermal quality of the h...

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Section: Catenatus)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Catenatus)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: General Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The behavioral and physiological effects of long-distance translocation on Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus)

Heiken¹

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Natal dispersal of Whooping Cranes in the reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population

Thompson

Caven²,

Hayes

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Natal dispersal is a key demographic process for evaluating the population rate of change, especially for long‐lived, highly mobile species. This process is largely unknown for reintroduced populations of endangered avian species. We evaluated natal dispersal distances (NDD) for male and female Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) introduced into two locations in central Wisconsin (Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, or NNWR, and the Eastern Rectangle, or ER) using a series of demographic, spatial, and life history‐related covariates. Data were analyzed using gamma regression models with a log‐link function and compared using Akaike information criterion corrected for small sample sizes (AICc). Whooping Cranes released in the ER dispersed 261% further than those released into NNWR, dispersal distance increased 4% for each additional nesting pair, decreased about 24% for males as compared to females, increased by 21% for inexperienced pairs, and decreased by 3% for each additional year of age. Natal philopatry, habitat availability or suitability, and competition for breeding territories may be influencing observed patterns of NDD. Whooping Cranes released in the ER may exhibit longer NDD due to fragmented habitat or conspecific attraction to established breeding pairs at NNWR. Additionally, sex‐biased dispersal may be increasing in this population as there are more individuals from different natal sites forming breeding pairs. As the population grows and continues to disperse, the drivers of NDD patterns may change based on individual or population behavior.

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Representation of herpetofauna in wildlife research journals

Christoffel

Lepczyk

2012

J Wildl Manag

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Two groups of wildlife species that are critical for the maintenance of biological diversity in a variety of habitats and who fill a number of functional roles in these habitats are reptiles (Gibbons et al. 2000, Ernst and Lovich 2009) and amphibians (Semlitsch 2003). Globally, reptiles and amphibians (i.e., herpetofauna) make up 46% of species richness of terrestrial vertebrates, but the prevalence of herpetofauna investigations in wildlife research and management journals has not been explored. Our objective was to review representation of herpetofauna in 6 wildlife research journals from 1980 to 2009 to examine whether their representation parallels their contribution to global terrestrial vertebrate species richness, whether their representation has changed over time and how, and whether subsets of herpetofauna garner disproportionate coverage relative to one another. We ran a keyword search in Web of Science database (formerly ISI Web of Science) within the Web of Knowledge search engine published by Thomson Reuters (2010) on 6 wildlife research journals (European Journal of Wildlife Research [formerly Zeitschrift für Jagdwissenschaft], Journal of Wildlife Management, South African Journal of Wildlife Research, Wildlife Biology, Wildlife Research, and Wildlife Society Bulletin) from 1980 to 2009. We searched for 17 terms relevant to herpetofauna (e.g., toad, tortoise). Our search yielded 315 articles that focused on herpetofauna. Over the 30‐year period, we found the number of articles and pages and percentage of journal space devoted to herpetofauna increased. However, at best, <6% of journal space was devoted to herpetofauna, indicating that these species are greatly under‐represented in wildlife literature given their contributions to species richness and diversity and ecosystem function. Although absolute number of articles and pages has increased, little progress has been made in terms of relative representation of herpetofauna as compared to birds and mammals. Although percentage of pages in wildlife journals dedicated to herpetofauna has increased in the past 30 years, they must garner greater representation to enable us to adequately manage for biological diversity and ecosystem function and integrity. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

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Activity patterns and habitat preferences of translocated and resident tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus) in a suburban landscape

Cited by 33 publications

References 19 publications

The behavioral and physiological effects of long-distance translocation on Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus)

The behavioral and physiological effects of long-distance translocation on Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus)

Natal dispersal of Whooping Cranes in the reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population

Representation of herpetofauna in wildlife research journals

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