rsg_book_2013

Mammalsor put themselves at risk relative to anthropogenic threats these individuals arealso more likely to facilitate recruitment in the founding release populationfaster than shyer individuals. Captive-bred SWF litters and SJKF litters in both the urban and rural habitatshowed variation in boldness levels: This supports the view that boldness is anadaptive trait with variation in the litter allowing a greater potential for therebeing individual personality types in the litter who will be suited to currentenvironmental conditions. The reduction in boldness levels in the higher ageclasses indicates bolder SJKF were selected against at a young age.However, the continuing presence of variation in litters suggests it is anadaptive strategy to continue to produce variation in pups. Therefore, it isrecommended that a founder population contains representatives of allbehavioral types to ensure the potential for the population to adapt undervariable environmental conditions, or if there is variation within the release site.It may be advantageous in some instances to consider releasing founders withbehavioral types in certain proportions depending on habitat pressures, andthen varying the mix in subsequent releases to ensure variability. Forexamples, in release sites where predators are present the initial releasescould comprise of a majority of shy individuals, but gradually switch to a higherproportion of bolder individuals as density increases and the need fordispersers to create linkage with neighboring populations arises.Success of projectHighly Successful Successful Partially Successful FailureReason(s) for success/failure: Co-operative partnerships and financial support: A broad range oforganizations supported these projects. The SWF project was facilitated by theCochrane Ecological Institute, Defenders of Wildlife, the Blackfeet Fish, Gameand Wildlife Department in Montana and Queen’s University of Belfast.Financial support was provided by The Department of Education for NorthernIreland. The CCIF project was a co-operative effort between the CaliforniaState University - Stanislaus Endangered Species Recovery Program and theCatalina Island Conservancy. The former provided financial support andpersonnel while the latter provided access to animals and logistical supportsuch as accommodation and transport. The SJKF project was conducted bypersonnel from the California State University - Stanislaus EndangeredSpecies Recovery Program with funding provided by the Central ValleyProgram Conservation Project (CVPCP), a funding source administered by theUS Bureau of Reclamation. Local community support: Both the SWF and the CCIF project experiencedhigh levels of support from the community. Community feeling regarding SJKFwas considered varied within the urban habitat; however, the majority ofpeople encountered were supportive. The SWF project in particulardemonstrated community support through the cooperation of the Blackfeet157