Abstract
Monitoring dispersal, habitat use, and social mixing of released ungulates is crucial for successful translocation and species conservation. We monitored 127 female bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) released in three populations from 2000 to 2009 to investigate if augmented bighorns expanded and shifted seasonal ranges, used different habitat compared with resident females, and if animals mixed socially. Augmented bighorns in all populations expanded range use compared with residents by shifting utilization distributions. Size of utilization distributions, however, were smaller for augmented females compared with residents in all areas except one. Overlap of seasonal utilization distributions between augmented and resident bighorns and use of slope and elevation differed across populations. In two populations, differences in size and overlap of seasonal utilization distributions and use of slope and elevation supported the hypothesis that habitat use of bighorns in their source area influenced their habitat use after release. Mixing between resident and augmented adult females occurred on average during only 21% of sightings and was similar across populations. Our results clarify how augmented bighorns mix with resident animals and how habitat use is modified following augmentations. Such information is needed to improve bighorn sheep augmentations and can be applied to augmentations of other ungulates.
Highlights
Monitoring dispersal, habitat use, and social mixing of released ungulates is crucial for successful translocation and species conservation
Size of 95% seasonal utilization distributions for resident bighorn sheep were 2 times larger than estimates of utilization distributions for augmented females (SD = 0.47, range = 1.5 to 2.7 times larger, Table 2), with the largest area used by all bighorns in summer, and the smallest area used by all females in spring and winter
Annual 95% utilization distributions for resident bighorn sheep before compared with after augmentation exhibited a high degree of overlap on Mount Timpanogos (UDOI = 1.09), indicating little change in range use of resident animals before compared with after augmentations
Summary
Monitoring dispersal, habitat use, and social mixing of released ungulates is crucial for successful translocation and species conservation. We monitored 127 female bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) released in three populations from 2000 to 2009 to investigate if augmented bighorns expanded and shifted seasonal ranges, used different habitat compared with resident females, and if animals mixed socially. Small, historical populations of bighorn sheep may have lost all or some of their migratory behaviors and augmentations of animals may help re-establish those traditions[32,40] This range-use expansion was hypothesized to occur, because these ungulates have open societies and migration patterns, and the use of seasonal ranges are learned and passed through generations[41]. Understanding factors that affect habitat use and social interactions in a new environment is critical for improving augmentations of bighorn sheep, as well as for other social ungulates, such as ibex, chamois (Rupicapra spp.), mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), and pronghorns (Antilocapra americana)[14]; this is a critical element for their successful conservation
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