Measuring success in primate translocation: A baboon case study

Abstract

Translocation of primates is still a rare event. The translocation in 1984 of two research groups of wild baboons that had been studied for 12 years prior to translocation and observed for 18 years afterwards offers a comprehensive set of data with which to evaluate success. A comparison with indigenous baboon troops at the release site provides an independent control for assessing performance in the release area. Two success criteria are developed with the use of indicator measures that include birth rate, death rate, patterns of mortality and survivorship, body condition, intestinal parasites, and group size. The baboon translocation succeeded according to both criteria: the two troops were saved by the translocation, and they did as well or better than could be expected in their new home. Their performance matched or exceeded that of translocated groups of other primate species.

Postrelease Success of Two Rehabilitated Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops) Troops in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

“…Survival analysis uses censored observations to indicate when the fate of an individual is unknown [Lagakos, 1992;Strum, 2005]. In our study these were individuals who could not be located at the end of the study period ('missing') and those that were alive at the end of the study period, while 'completed' observations refer to individuals that were found dead or were removed from the study.…”

“…In our study these were individuals who could not be located at the end of the study period ('missing') and those that were alive at the end of the study period, while 'completed' observations refer to individuals that were found dead or were removed from the study. We compared the survival distributions between troops using Gehen's Wilcoxon test [Lagakos, 1992;Strum, 2005].…”

Sharing space: can ethnoprimatology contribute to the survival of nonhuman primates in human‐dominated globalized landscapes?

“…Early on, Strum recognized that human-primate interactions over crops and at garbage dumps would only be negative for the baboons. Moving entire groups had a mixed success; they required continuous investment in provisioning during droughts and treatment for disease, while only in the long term attaining natality and mortality rates similar to indigenous groups [Strum, 2005]. Perhaps, given our 20 years of further experience, we now could have developed alternatives to the financial costs and survival consequences of translocation-deterrence at the garbage site, managing the garbage and the baboons' access to crops [e.g.…”

“…A detailed example of the dilemmas faced by primates in their habitats, in conflict with humans in their habitat, is that of Shirley Strum's translocation of the ''Pumphouse gang'' of crop-raiding baboons (Papio anubis) [Strum, 2005]. Early on, Strum recognized that human-primate interactions over crops and at garbage dumps would only be negative for the baboons.…”

Genome scale assessment of a species translocation program

“…Lack of assessment (i.e. poor follow-up monitoring) has likely contributed to uncertainty regarding the efficacy and efficiency of translocations: numerous studies advocate for translocations (Marsh and Trenham 2001;Strum 2005;Parker 2008;Decesare et al 2011;Estrada 2014;Watson and Watson 2015), but many others advocate against them (Dodd and Seigel 1991;Struhsaker and Siex 1998;Ricciardi and Simberloff 2009;Godefroid et al 2011;Oro et al 2011). And those studies that do not explicitly Abstract Despite increased use of species translocations, controversy remains regarding the efficacy and efficiency of the strategy in obtaining conservation goals.…”