The importance of thinking big: Large-scale prey conservation drives black-footed ferret reintroduction success

Jachowski, David S.; Gitzen, Robert A.; Grenier, Martin B.; Holmes, Brian E.; Millspaugh, Joshua J.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2011.01.025

Cited by 54 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Some expensive examples include recovery actions for the black‐footed ferret ( Mustela nigripes ) in North America, which have involved nearly 50 government agencies in the captive breeding of 6000 individuals (Jachowski et al. ), with 100 wild‐released animals costing US$29,100/individual (Bodenchuk et al. ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rabbit biocontrol and landscape‐scale recovery of threatened desert mammals

Pedler¹,

Brandle²,

Read

et al. 2016

Conservation Biology

114

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Funding for species conservation is insufficient to meet the current challenges facing global biodiversity, yet many programs use expensive single-species recovery actions and neglect broader management that addresses threatening processes. Arid Australia has the world's worst modern mammalian extinction record, largely attributable to competition from introduced herbivores, particularly European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and predation by feral cats (Felis catus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The biological control agent rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) was introduced to Australia in 1995 and resulted in dramatic, widespread rabbit suppression. We compared the area of occupancy and extent of occurrence of 4 extant species of small mammals before and after RHDV outbreak, relative to rainfall, sampling effort, and rabbit and predator populations. Despite low rainfall during the first 14 years after RHDV, 2 native rodents listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the dusky hopping-mouse (Notomys fuscus) and plains mouse (Pseudomys australis), increased their extent of occurrence by 241-365%. A threatened marsupial micropredator, the crest-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda), underwent a 70-fold increase in extent of occurrence and a 20-fold increase in area of occupancy. Both bottom-up and top-down trophic effects were attributed to RHDV, namely decreased competition for food resources and declines in rabbit-dependent predators. Based on these sustained increases, these 3 previously threatened species now qualify for threat-category downgrading on the IUCN Red List. These recoveries are on a scale rarely documented in mammals and give impetus to programs aimed at targeted use of RHDV in Australia, rather than simply employing top-down threat-based management of arid ecosystems. Conservation programs that take big-picture approaches to addressing threatening processes over large spatial scales should be prioritized to maximize return from scarce conservation funding. Further, these should be coupled with long-term ecological monitoring, a critical tool in detecting and understanding complex ecosystem change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rabbit biocontrol and landscape‐scale recovery of threatened desert mammals

Pedler¹,

Brandle²,

Read

et al. 2016

Conservation Biology

114

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Jachowski et al. ). Therefore, management sites should be considered elements of a network rather than stand‐alone projects (Cleary , Ferreira & Delibes‐Mateos ), at least if regional level effects are expected.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat management as a generalized tool to boost European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus populations in the Iberian Peninsula: a cost‐effectiveness analysis

et al. 2013

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The European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus was designated as a protected species in Spain and Portugal following sharp declines in many populations. The ongoing decline highlights the need to implement cost‐effective management strategies for this staple prey and important small game species of Iberian Mediterranean ecosystems. Habitat management is one strategy in general use, though little is known about its true influence on rabbit populations. The main goal of this study was to assess the frequency of use and cost‐effectiveness of habitat management techniques for European rabbit populations in the Iberian Peninsula. We conducted a thorough literature review and used this information to: (i) estimate the frequency of use of habitat management techniques; (ii) evaluate the relative and absolute effectiveness of habitat management; and (iii) assess the economic implications of its application. At least one habitat management technique was used on over 60% of hunting estates. The relative effectiveness (measured as the % population change before and after management) of habitat management techniques is high, although we found no relationship between high relative effectiveness and rabbit densities considered biologically and/or economically meaningful (e.g. densities able to support a breeding population of endangered predators or medium to high rabbit harvest yields). We did not find any clear relationship between the cost and the effectiveness of the habitat management techniques applied, as the most costly techniques were not the most successful ones. We conclude that rabbit management strategies in the Iberian Peninsula should include improved and upscaled protocols for habitat management, in order to mitigate threats and promote the recovery of rabbit populations.

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“…; US Fish & Wildlife Service , ; Conservation Breeding Specialist Group ; Jachowski et al . ) have also concluded that ‘large’ areas of habitat are necessary to maintain black‐footed ferrets, the areas mentioned in these studies range only from 25 to 200 km 2 . Unfortunately, few landscapes >2500 km 2 occupied by prairie dogs exist today (Proctor, Haskins & Forrest ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…S4‐4) Our findings underscore the importance of working with many constituents to conserve large prairie dog landscapes (Proctor, Haskins & Forrest ; Jachowski et al . ; Livieri ) and to develop improved plague mitigation tools. More generally, this study illustrates the insights that multispecies modelling yields for population viability assessment and conservation planning, especially for strongly interacting or co‐dependent species ensembles that include threatened taxa.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of prey metapopulation structure on the viability of black‐footed ferrets in plague‐impacted landscapes: a metamodelling approach

Shoemaker

Lacy

Verant

et al. 2014

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary Species interactions have been largely ignored in extinction risk assessment. However, the black‐footed ferret Mustela nigripes exemplifies a class of endangered species for which strong species interactions cannot be ignored. This species is an obligate predator of prairie dogs Cynomys spp., and sylvatic plague Yersinia pestis epizootics threaten to undermine recovery efforts by functionally eliminating the prey base. Multispecies ‘metamodelling’ techniques offer new opportunities for exploring population dynamics under strong species interdependencies and disease. To investigate ferret extinction risk in plague‐affected landscapes, we simultaneously modelled plague epidemiological processes, prairie dog metapopulation dynamics and ferret demographic responses. Ferret population dynamics were investigated at an important release site (Conata Basin in South Dakota) and for 500 artificial prey landscapes spanning a wide range of realistic colony configurations (e.g. total area, # colonies, spatial clustering) and demographic characteristics. Our simulation models indicate that ferrets are unlikely to persist through episodes of plague at Conata Basin unless they can access prey resources from a wider region or unless management actions can otherwise substantially reduce plague transmission. We show that large, diffuse prairie dog metapopulations (those with colonies spread over a region >2500 km2) are most likely to support ferret populations in plague‐affected landscapes. Our results also highlight the potential importance of metapopulation connectivity in fuelling plague epizootics and thereby imperilling black‐footed ferret conservation efforts. We describe a cycle (c. 5‐ to 25‐year period) of plague‐driven population crashes that is an emergent property of our models, and which can destabilize ferret populations. Synthesis and applications. On the basis of our models, we conclude that few North American prairie dog complexes cover sufficient land area to sustain black‐footed ferret populations through plague‐driven crashes in prey abundance. Consequently, our results underscore the importance of working with many constituents to conserve large prairie dog landscapes in addition to continued development of plague mitigation tools. In addition, the strong relationship between plague‐induced oscillatory prey cycles and predator population persistence highlights the potential conservation benefits of imposing strategic barriers to connectivity in areas over which plague outbreak cycles are strongly synchronous.

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The importance of thinking big: Large-scale prey conservation drives black-footed ferret reintroduction success

Cited by 54 publications

References 60 publications

Rabbit biocontrol and landscape‐scale recovery of threatened desert mammals

Rabbit biocontrol and landscape‐scale recovery of threatened desert mammals

Habitat management as a generalized tool to boost European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus populations in the Iberian Peninsula: a cost‐effectiveness analysis

Effects of prey metapopulation structure on the viability of black‐footed ferrets in plague‐impacted landscapes: a metamodelling approach

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