rsg_book_2013

MammalsMajor lessons learned Partnerships and cooperation are essential for success: Cooperation andcreative partnerships are essential to the success of any re-introductionprogram. The successful captive red wolf breeding program is a result of thecooperation of Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, the development of anAssociation of Zoos and Aquariums SSP program, and the participation ofnumerous SSP-affiliated zoos and nature centers. Consequently, captivebreeding has become a foundation of the success of the red wolf recoveryprogram. Researchers and other science-based partners have provided dataand information necessary to make management decisions that supportrestoration actions to ensure sound conservation approaches to recovering thered wolf. Re-introduction requires cooperation and partnerships among manydiverse groups, particularly among local, regional, and state-widegovernments, private landowners and land managers, researchers, andspecial-use groups and organizations. Disease prevention and surveillance are prudent: Because canid diseases canspread quickly, they can cause serious setbacks in red wolf recovery, andremain serious threats to all red wolf populations. As evidenced by thetermination of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park re-introductionproject due to poor pup survival and parvovirus, additional precautions areneeded to proactively address potential disease outbreaks in any reintroducedred wolf population. The establishment of at least two more reintroductionsites within red wolf historic range could partly alleviate diseaserisk. The import of existing and new strains of canid diseases carried into a reintroducedred wolf population also is a concern. Domestic hunting dogs andimported coyotes from elsewhere in USA are two potential outside sources ofdisease. A red wolf disease prevention and surveillance program has beenrecommended to ensure long-term survival for any red wolf re-introducedpopulation. Early development of regulatory mechanism is critical: The red wolf remainsfederally listed asEndangered throughout itshistoric range. However,the red wolf was declaredextinct in the wild in 1980when the last knownremaining red wolveswere brought intocaptivity. Therefore, redwolves in captivity arelisted Endangered,whereas re-introduced redwolves are designated asa nonessentialexperimental populationunder 10(j) of the ESA. The nonessentialexperimental status for theRed wolf with radio-collar © Ryan Nordsven/USFWS112