ESR

Endangered Species Research

ESR is a gold Open Access research journal on all endangered forms of life on Earth, the threats faced by species and their habitats, and the necessary steps that must be undertaken to ensure their conservation.

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Online: ISSN 1613-4796

Print: ISSN 1863-5407

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr

Impact Factor2.9 (JCR 2025 release)

Article Acceptance Rate68.4% (2024)

Average Time in Review178 days (2024)

Total Annual Downloads453.616 (2025)

Volume contents
Endang Species Res 41:105-118 (2020)

An analysis of translocation regimes for the endangered puaiohi Myadestes palmeri

ABSTRACT: The ongoing and often synergistic effects of habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change pose challenges for conservation and management as widespread species become greatly reduced, sometimes to a single small population. To address this problem, conservation biologists must consider using approaches like translocation to create new populations, reducing the probability of extinction by splitting a population into 2 or more populations in geographically distinct locales. The puaiohi Myadestes palmeri, an endangered Hawaiian forest bird, has a small population size (494; 95% CI: 414-580) and restricted range (~40 km2). One recovery plan objective involves translocating birds to higher elevation Hawaiian Islands. To evaluate translocation scenarios, we built upon previously developed population viability analysis models and considered how translocation regimes (initial harvest/population, number harvested/supplemented per event, harvest/supplementation interval, and length of harvest/supplementation) would affect both original and new populations. Furthermore, we modeled the puaiohi release population under 3 different conditions: a stable population, a predator-controlled environment, and a habitat improved in terms of resource availability. Our results indicated that while translocation offers hope of increasing puaiohi population size and decreasing extinction risk, success will depend on conditions at the release site. Furthermore, harvest and rearing of eggs to the juvenile stage or re-establishment of a captive breeding program may be necessary to provide enough birds to translocate, as the current wild population may not be productive enough to sustain levels of harvest necessary to successfully establish a new population.

KEYWORDS

Jean Fantle-Lepczyk (Corresponding Author)

  • Department of Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
fantle@auburn.edu

Lisa H. Crampton (Co-author)

  • Kaua‘i Forest Birds Recovery Project, Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife and University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Hanapepe, HI 96716, USA

Andrew Taylor (Co-author)

  • Department of Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA

D. C. Duffy (Co-author)

  • Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, Department of Botany, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA

Sheila Conant (Co-author)

  • Department of Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA