Raptor Release-Spring 2013.indd - University of Minnesota College ...

Next-generation researchBy Dr. Julia Ponder and AmberBurnetteCONSERVATION/RESEARCHDecades ago, conservationresearchers would collect (or kill)birds as a way to study them andhelp preserve a species. This primitiveform of conservation research has beenreplaced with high-tech observationand intervention methods that helpconservationists better understand aspecies’ behavior and restore nativeecosystems.Nest cameras are among the newgeneration of information-gatheringtechnologies that allow researchers tolearn more about the natural histories ofraptor species. In the past, field personnelwould spend hundreds of hours recordingfood drops and identifying prey itemsraptor parents brought in to the chicks.Today, these same researchers just needa laptop and Internet access. Informationabout how often a parent turns the eggsand interactions among raptor siblings arenow easily seen with a nest cam.In addition to the detailed informationresearchers can gather from nest camsto build a more robust understandingof raptor biology, schools can design acurriculum around what happens at thenest. For example, the curriculum couldinclude ecology (how prey items relateto the environment) and elements ofphenology (timing of nesting, breeding,and rearing life cycles).While the use of nest cams to educate thepublic about raptors is a wonderful newresearch tool, nest cams must be placedin such as way as to not interfere withthe activities of the birds, and researchersmust abide by ethical and legal guidelines.Increasing awareness through the useof nest cams will, no doubt, engenderemotional attachments to the individualsand families on display. Starvation oran injury to the chicks or parents canbe difficult to watch. It is important toremember, though, that there are legalDr. Julia Ponder’s workwith Galapgos hawks isalso benefi tting otherspecies. On the Islandof Rábida, membersof the monitoring teamrecently documentedthe presence of twospecies—a land snailand a gecko—previouslythought to be extinct.implications for intervention, as well asthe possibility of causing injury or extremestress to the rest of the raptor family. Wildraptors face survival challenges throughouttheir lives.Another next-generation conservationmethod that TRC was recently involvedwith took place on the island of Pinzón inthe Galápagos Islands last December. TheGalápagos Islands are globally recognizedfor their unique and abundant biodiversity.Invasive species, including rats introducedby humans 150 years ago, are the greatestthreat to that biodiversity. The introducedrats have wreaked havoc on the nativeecosystem and prevented the Pinzón gianttortoise from reproducing in its naturalenvironment for more than 150 years. Therestoration project involved removinginvasive rodents from Pinzón, which isexpected to provide a significant benefit tothe Pinzón ecosystem, including restoringthe natural recruitment (successfulreproduction) of the tortoises.TRC led the effort to trap residentGalápagos hawks on Pinzón andtemporarily manage them in captivity,protecting them from being exposed torodenticide while hunting the rats.Dr. Julia Ponder, executive director,and Gail Buhl, education manager,successfully managed 60 individuals(estimated to be 12 percent of the knownpopulation of the species) in captivity.Blood for future genetics tests was taken,and before release, individuals werebanded and/or outfitted with transmittersto allow post-release monitoring.Continued monitoring will be conductedto learn more about the impact of theseefforts.In 2010, Ponder and Lori Arent, clinicmanager, were part of similar effortson Rábida Island. Follow-up work hasbeen done on Rábida, and the reports areencouraging. In addition to confirmingthat the rodents are gone, members ofthe monitoring team documented thepresence of two species—a land snail anda gecko—that were previously thought tobe extinct. Presumably their populationsare growing, thanks to the elimination ofthe threat of rodent predation.Dr. Julia Ponder is TRC’s executivedirector, and Amber Burnette is programassociate.9