Site Fidelity Research Articles

Characterizing juvenile blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) nursery areas in the Galapagos: new methods and understandings.

New approaches to abundance surveying utilizing unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) are proving to be effective tools in marine and terrestrial environments. We explored UAV efficacy for surveys in the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), where relative abundance patterns of juvenile sharks and subsequent classifications of putative nursery areas based on environmental drivers are lacking. The UAV method allowed greater temporal and spatial coverage. We expanded classification of shark nursery habitat through monthly drone surveys and environmental data collection at 14 sites around San Cristobal Island (GMR) from November 2018 to July 2019. In the period of surveying, 56 flights identified 453 juvenile Carcharhinus limbatus (blacktip shark). Classification of nurseries followed three criteria, necessitating higher density, short-term residency, and annual site fidelity in target locations. We developed preliminary generalized linear models to elucidate potential environmental parameters influencing the perceived abundance and habitat preference of juveniles. Four sites were identified as either potential nurseries or nursery areas for the target species based on previous excursions. An averaged model was subsequently created from the models found to best explain deviance patterns (R2 = 0.10-0.44) in perceived shark abundance and habitat preference. Relative variable importance (RVI) values further clarified the parameters most associated with higher juvenile presence. This approach provides a systematic method of abundance surveying while simultaneously beginning the process of defining when and where we expect to find higher abundance through environmental modelling of most influential parameters to perceived abundance in this environment.

Non‐breeding home range and habitat use by European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) in northwest Liberia: apparent resilience to forest degradation?

Identifying population drivers of migratory birds requires knowledge of species' ecology throughout their annual cycle. For most Afro‐Palaearctic migratory species, little is known about non‐breeding habitat use, despite extensive land use change in non‐breeding areas of sub‐Saharan Africa being a key factor implicated in population decline. We radio‐tracked 54 Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca at two sites of differing levels of forest disturbance, in Liberia, western Africa, over three non‐breeding seasons to determine home range size and site fidelity, and describe habitat and tree species preference within home ranges. We found high territory fidelity both within and between years, and a preference for well‐wooded landscapes. We found that Pied Flycatcher presence was positively associated with large and mature trees, and areas with a higher density of trees. Pied Flycatchers preferred several tree species that were uncommon within home ranges, and several non‐native tree species likely to support a high invertebrate abundance. Pied Flycatchers preferentially selected areas burnt in the same or previous winter, possibly related to enhanced food resources associated with vegetation regrowth following burning. We also found no significant difference in home range size between sites and similar habitat associations despite differences in habitat disturbance. This suggests that human‐modified habitats may remain suitable for Pied Flycatchers, as long as they retain moderate tree cover, especially larger, taller and more mature trees, whether native or non‐native.

Landscape metrics predict habitat redundancy of restored oyster reefs for recruitment enhancement of dominant estuarine fish

Abstract Structured biogenic habitats in estuarine and coastal landscapes (or seascapes) augment nekton species' production; yet, landscape setting may make restored habitats functionally redundant to co‐occurring habitats for some species. Few relationships between recruitment enhancement and continuous landscape metrics have been quantified, limiting our ability to incorporate functional redundancy into restoration practice. To address this gap, we quantified two landscape metrics, per cent structure of proximal habitat and near distance to co‐occurring structured habitats, for experimentally restored oyster reefs in an intertidal landscape in Middle Marsh, North Carolina, USA. We then examined relationships between each landscape metric and recruitment enhancement of juvenile pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), a species that uses multiple biogenic habitats and has high site fidelity as juveniles. We estimated that reefs with <33% proximal structured habitat within 15 m and <59% within 50 m contributed to recruitment enhancement, as defined by greater juvenile pinfish abundances at reefs than controls and no overlap in 95% confidence intervals. Additionally, functional redundancy, assigned according to per cent structure of proximal habitat within 15 or 50 m of restored reefs, reduced estimates of nekton recruitment enhancement in this experimental landscape by 58.3% or 33.3%, respectively. Estimates of nekton production augmented by restoration may be inflated if they have not been adjusted to account for habitat redundancy. Synthesis and applications. Landscape metrics offer some predictive capacity to help restoration practitioners avoid habitat redundancy for recruitment enhancement and extend beyond considering individual habitats toward integrating landscape scale processes into predictions and restoration practice. We demonstrated a straightforward process for restoration practitioners to identify where habitats may be redundant and incorporate the landscape into restoration siting decisions: delineate co‐occurring structured habitat with publicly accessible orthoimagery and model juvenile nekton relationships with proximal percent structure and near distance to other structured habitats.

Trunk climbing among ground-dwelling European amphibians – first observation from Poland

Most European amphibian species are considered land-dwelling, associated with moving along the ground and as poor climbers. However, more recent research indicates that non-arboreal amphibians use nesting boxes and tree hollows in Central and Western Europe. This study describes the first observation of tree climbing by the common toad Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758) and common frog Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758 in Poland. While conducting a night survey of newt mortality in the ‘Traszki Ratajskie’ protected area in an urban park in the city of Poznań, Poland, we detected the unexpected use of trees by two species of amphibians. In June 2020, we observed cases of Bufo bufo and Rana temporaria foraging on and using arboreal ambush sites. The toads were found at an average height of 124 cm above the ground, and the frogs at 35 cm, on the tree trunks and branches of two willows (Salix cfr. alba L.) and a dead silver birch specimen (Betula pendula L.). The willows had an extensive multi-stem structure, and exhibited signs of maturity and ageing (hollow-bearing trees with open cavities and crevices). This is the first observation of arboreal behaviour in B. bufo and R. temporaria in Poland. The climbing behaviour and use of tree sites were likely linked to the search for a humid shelter provided by the interior of the ageing trees, as well as to the foraging behaviour that we observed. Trees exhibiting signs of maturity usually have complex structures, and seem particularly important for amphibians during periods of drought, as both a suitable shelter and an area from which to ambush prey. We recommend focusing greater attention on the protection of mature, ageing trees, especially Salix spp. within a terrestrial buffer zone of at least 250 metres from ponds, as these are poorly researched components within amphibian habitats. This type of resource may be essential for long-term amphibian conservation due to site fidelity and the limited number of shelters in human-altered landscapes. The recently adopted EU Nature Restoration Law presents an opportunity to develop good practices in this area, particularly urban tree planting and habitat management.

Individual return patterns of spawning flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis) to a desert river tributary

Tributaries provide temporal and spatial habitat heterogeneity in river networks that can be critical for parts of the life history of a species. Tributary fidelity can benefit individual fish undergoing spawning migrations by reducing time and energy spent exploring new areas and leveraging previous experience, but anthropogenic activities that fragment or degrade these systems can eliminate those benefits. We used multistate models based on passive integrated transponder (PIT) detection data from 2013 to 2023 to estimate the proportion of flannelmouth suckers (Catostomus latipinnis) migrating to a tributary, McElmo Creek, from the mainstem San Juan River for spawning. Survival varied among years and among states. The top model for migration probability included sex, with males slightly more likely to migrate (0.93 vs 0.90), and the next model identified interannual variation in migration probability ranging from 0.875 to 0.999 across years, indicating high site fidelity. Individuals showed consistency in relative arrival timing across years, with the highest correlation generally during years with greater spring discharge and extended tributary residence time. Successful tributary spawning may be important for the maintenance of the mainstem San Juan River flannelmouth sucker population, but site fidelity may be maladaptive where tributaries are vulnerable to human alterations.

Heliconius butterflies use wide-field landscape features, but not individual local landmarks, during spatial learning.

Spatial learning is vital in foraging ecology. Many hymenopteran insects are adept spatial foragers that rely on visual cues contained within broader wide-field scenes for central place foraging from a central nest. By contrast, for butterflies, which lack central nest sites, visual cue use during spatial foraging is less understood. Heliconius butterflies, however, exhibit stable nocturnal roosts, strong site fidelity and a sophisticated capacity for spatial navigation. This study furthers our understanding of Heliconius spatial learning by testing whether H. erato can associate a spatially informative visual cue with artificial feeders. We explored the relative importance of a visual local landmark compared with broader, wide-field visual cues, through experiments with (i) a fixed rewarded feeder with a local landmark; (ii) a mobile rewarded feeder with the landmark as the sole reliable cue; (iii) the same setup while blocking visual access to external landscape features. Our data suggest that Heliconius butterflies learn static feeder locations without relying on a local individual landmark. Instead, we suggest they integrate broader landscape and celestial cues. This suggests that Heliconius butterflies and central place foraging hymenopterans likely share similar visual navigation strategies, using wide-field, low-resolution views rather than focusing on specific individual landmarks.

Lifetime fitness benefits of breeding site fidelity and low costs of inbreeding permit inbreeding tolerance in an avian cooperative breeder.

Inbreeding, or breeding with close relatives, often decreases individual fitness, but mate choice in many species can increase inbreeding risk. Inbreeding is more likely in species with limited dispersal, such as cooperative breeders where non-parental individuals-often offspring from previous broods-provide parental care and frequently breed close to home. We leverage 32 years of data from a population of Florida Scrub-Jays ( Aphelocoma coerulescens ), an avian cooperative breeder, to investigate whether mate choice, and its lifetime fitness outcomes, affects inbreeding tolerance. We find that both sexes show a stronger preference for geographically closer rather than less related mates. While female-biased dispersal mitigates inbreeding risk when pairing for the first time, limited movement away from the breeding territory by both sexes for later pairings (following mate death or divorce) results in higher relatedness between mates than expected under random mating. Males paired with close relatives and females that move longer distances experience equivalently reduced lifetime reproductive success. Fitness benefits of breeding site fidelity and relatively low fitness costs of inbreeding thus permit inbreeding tolerance in Florida Scrub-Jays. Understanding how and why mate choice contributes to inbreeding is crucial for informed conservation action for endangered species like the Florida Scrub-Jay.

Genome-wide DNA reveals decades-long genetic stability and intra-familial migratory site fidelity in an Asian population of Common Redshanks

Genome-wide DNA reveals decades-long genetic stability and intra-familial migratory site fidelity in an Asian population of Common Redshanks

Spatial consistency affects foraging effort in a benthic diving seabird, the Black‐faced Cormorant

For animals which exploit predictable food resources, greater foraging site fidelity has been hypothesized to lead to increased foraging efficiency. However, evidence for this in free‐ranging species is limited. In the present study, foraging site fidelity, the factors influencing it and its effect on foraging effort were investigated in the Black‐faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens, a predominantly benthic forager occurring in southeastern Australia. While the study population was found to have a relatively large foraging range, individuals were highly consistent in the smaller foraging areas which they used. Foraging effort was lower in individuals with a higher foraging site fidelity, which is likely to indicate increased foraging efficiency. Foraging site fidelity differed greatly between individuals but none of the assessed factors (sex, mass, size or year of study) were found to have a significant influence. This might indicate that intrinsic factors which could not be assessed, such as personality or experience, may influence the degree to which individuals exploit known habitats. The findings suggest that changes in prey availability or distribution could result in reduced foraging efficiency and, consequently, negative impacts for the species. Further investigation is required to assess within‐individual foraging plasticity to predict potential responses to changing prey availability and distribution.

Acoustic telemetry suggests the lesser spotted dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula stays and uses habitats within a French offshore wind farm

Offshore wind farms (OWF) are a rapidly expanding renewable energy source, but their effects on marine wildlife need further investigation. These infrastructures form new artificial habitats that may modify the behaviour and spatial distribution of fish species. Among the species likely to be affected, benthic sharks occupying coastal habitats are particularly exposed to the development of OWF, especially as electrosensitive species. This study used passive acoustic telemetry to investigate the behaviour of a benthic shark, the lesser-spotted dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula, within France's first operational OWF. Most tagged sharks remained in the vicinity of the OWF post-release, exhibiting site fidelity and seasonal residency with reduced presence during winter when water temperatures are the lowest. The primary site frequented is a monopile with scour protection on soft substrate, offering potential shelters and food sources. This study provides new insights into the species' ecology and contributes to improving our understanding of how anthropogenic structure installation in the marine environment affects the behaviour of S. canicula.

Automated long‐term monitoring of RFID‐tagged individuals reveals high hibernaculum site fidelity in Daubenton's bats and Natterer's bats

AbstractIn the temperate zone, many bat species depend on underground sites during the autumn mating period and as hibernacula in winter. Anthropogenic or natural alteration or destruction of a hibernaculum may severely threaten the bats that rely on the site, especially if they are not aware of suitable alternatives. Currently, the rate at which bats visit other hibernacula, or disperse between them, is poorly understood. Here, we studied hibernation site fidelity in two European bat species, Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) and Natterer's bat (Myotis nattereri), that share hibernacula but differ in their hibernation phenology and mating systems. The activity of over 2500 RFID‐tagged individuals was monitored using an automated recording system at the entrances of three hibernacula over eight full years. Hibernation site fidelity was high in both species, with only 1.6% of Daubenton's bats and 4.1% of Natterer's bats moving between the monitored sites during their lifetimes. Juvenile bats moved more frequently than adults and contrary to our expectations, in Natterer's bats, more females moved between hibernacula than males. Movements almost always occurred during the autumn mating season, and more frequently between neighboring hibernacula than between distant sites. Finally, we also found that individuals rarely explored more than one of the three entrances to a site, despite their close proximity. Taken together, our results suggest that some juvenile bats may explore multiple sites, but that they rarely disperse to other hibernacula as adults. As a result, most individuals are either not aware of alternative sites or do not regularly update this information. We therefore argue that the creation of new underground objects as a mitigation measure may not function as an immediate compensation for the disturbance or the loss of an existing hibernaculum. Instead, the proactive identification and protection of existing hibernacula should be prioritized.

When the Light Goes Out: Distribution and Sleeping Habitat Use of Parrotfishes at Night

Understanding the diurnal and nocturnal activity of organisms is a key topic in behavioral ecology, with implications for population structure and management strategies. In reef systems, parrotfishes play crucial roles as nominal herbivores, but overfishing has led to population collapses with detrimental effects on reef functions. Parrotfish are good models to study diel rhythms, as they are often easily observed while sleeping at night. We assessed the distribution, sleeping substrate selectivity and sleeping areas of parrotfishes during the night in a subtropical rocky reef of the Southwestern Atlantic. We performed replicated visual censuses (50 × 2 m) at different depths to estimate parrotfish abundance, while quantifying the structural complexity of sleeping sites. Among the seven recorded parrotfish species, we focused on the four most abundant to determine their sleeping habitat selectivity. Active telemetry was used for the two most abundant species to define their sleeping site areas and sleeping hotspots. All four species exhibited a preference for sediment as a sleeping substrate, while avoiding zoanthids. Species distribution was influenced by depth, with Scarus zelindae predominantly sleeping in high-complexity substrate at intermediate depths and Sparisoma tuiupiranga sleeping in the rock–sand interface at deeper depths. Tagged Sparisoma axillare and Sparisoma frondosum exhibited similar sleeping areas in terms of size and geographical locations; showing high site fidelity, they returned to the same sleeping sites over consecutive nights. These results represent the first assessment of parrotfish distribution and habitat use at night in the Atlantic. This information is crucial for guiding management actions, particularly in the planning of no-take zones for fishing control and population recovery.

Non-invasive methods characterise the world’s largest tiger shark aggregation in Fuvahmulah, Maldives

Tiger sharks are apex predators with a circumglobal tropical and warm-temperate distribution, with a general lack of population data for the central Indian Ocean. In Fuvahmulah, Maldives, tiger sharks display frequent use of the harbour area, attracted by discarded fish waste. Here, we document the population structure, residency, and reproductive characteristics of the world’s largest known tiger shark aggregation in a geographically-restricted area. Using non-invasive methods, photo identification and laser photogrammetry, we identified 239 individual tiger sharks over a 7-year study period. The aggregation was female-dominated (84.5%), with both large juveniles and adults present. Adult females were resighted over the entire study period displaying strong inter- and intra-annual site fidelity. Modelled residency using maximum likelihood methods suggests they spent 60.7 ± S.E. 7.5 days in Fuvahmulah, with a larger aggregation size, shorter residence periods and longer absence periods compared to juvenile females. Prolonged abdominal distensions of adult females indicate they likely stay near Fuvahmulah during gestation and reproduce biennially. Fuvahmulah seems to provide suitable conditions for gestation given the year-round provision of food and warm waters, exhibited by strong site fidelity and temporal residency. Our results show indications of a thriving population within the confines of protected waters.

Spawning migration, sex-specific home ranges, and seasonal site fidelity in a lacustrine population of Bowfin (Amia ocellicauda)

Spawning migration, sex-specific home ranges, and seasonal site fidelity in a lacustrine population of Bowfin (Amia ocellicauda)

Site fidelity trumps disturbance: aerial shooting does not cause surviving fallow deer (Dama dama) to disperse

Context Aerial shooting is an important tool for managing the economic and environmental impacts of widespread wild fallow deer populations in eastern Australia and could be crucial for mounting an effective response to an emergency animal disease incursion. However, there is a concern that the disturbance caused by aerial shooting could cause infected animals to disperse, thereby transmitting pathogens to previously uninfected areas. Aims We sought to describe the nature and extent of spatial behavioural changes in fallow deer exposed to aerial shooting to: (1) assess the risk that aerial shooting poses to disease spread, and (2) better understand how aerial shooting can contribute to routine deer management programs. Methods We contrasted movement rates, activity range areas, and daily activity patterns of 48 GPS-collared fallow deer before, during and after exposure to aerial shooting at three sites in New South Wales. Key results No collared deer left its pre-shoot activity range area during shooting or within 30 days after shooting finished. Observed behaviour changes included increased daily and hourly distance travelled by female deer during and after shooting, increased activity range areas for female deer after shooting, and increased nocturnal activity in female and male deer during shooting. However, observed changes were minor, temporary, localised, and variable among sites. Conclusions Collared deer showed strong site fidelity despite repeated intense disturbance and substantial population reductions. We found no evidence to support concerns that aerial shooting poses a hazard of disease spread. Implications Aerial shooting should be retained as a key control tool for managing wild fallow deer populations in Australia, including for reducing disease host population densities in the event of an emergency animal disease incursion.

Thermal constraints and gender-related differences in the activity patterns of the monomorphic rodent Clyomys laticeps

Abstract The daily activity pattern of animals can be classified as diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular, and cathemeral reflecting strategic decisions to maximize mating and foraging while reducing predation risks and thermal constraints. Among monomorphic mammals, competition for resources and gender-related differences in physiology and reproductive strategies may translate into different activity patterns of males and females. Therefore, to understand the daily activity pattern both aboveground and belowground of the semifossorial rodent Clyomys laticeps, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) males and females differ in their diel activity patterns; (2) males are active for longer periods than females due to a promiscuous mating system and female site fidelity; and (3) higher maximum temperatures restrain C. laticeps activity. The study was carried out in the Serra de Caldas Novas State Park (Goiás, Brazil) in the Cerrado biome. The activity of C. laticeps was recorded using the telemetry technique over 5 days and nights (twice in each season, rainy and dry, between 2019 and 2021). Clyomys laticeps activity was bimodal, with 2 peaks around dawn and dusk, resembling a crepuscular pattern. Temporal segregation in male and female activity patterns was restricted to the dry season, when female activity was more diurnal than males who were mainly nocturnal. Intersexual competition for resources or male-avoidance behavior by females during the dry food scarcity season could contribute to this pattern, although it may also be explained by gender-related differences in thermal tolerances. Overall, males were active for longer periods than females, probably as a strategy to increase mating opportunities among the former and site fidelity in the latter. Finally, temperature imposed major constraints on C. laticeps activities who preferred milder temperatures and avoided being active in temperatures above their thermoneutral zone.

High site fidelity and reduced survival of a mycophagous mammal after prescribed fire

AbstractFire offers both opportunities and risks for wildlife. Its impact will depend on the fire’s scale, how it alters key resources and how animals move. Understanding how wildlife respond to fire is crucial as climate change is predicted to increase wildfire risk and will likely result in more frequent prescribed fire to reduce wildfire risk. Invasive predators and inappropriate fire regimes in south-eastern Australia threaten the long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus), a vulnerable marsupial often residing in areas frequently exposed to fire. The cumulative impacts of fire and predation may increase the threat to P. tridactylus after fire, as predators can be more effective in the immediate post-fire environment and P. tridactylus is often dependent on thick ground cover. We present a before-after control-impact experiment describing the influence of prescribed fire on P. tridactylus. We fitted GPS collars to 52 individuals at nine independent sites to test if exposure to prescribed burning reduced their survival or altered their movement behavior. Prescribed fire reduced P. tridactylus survival, yet range size and diffusion (movement) rate remained largely unaffected. With limited fire exposure, P. tridactylus tended to continue using burnt areas whereas activity became restricted to unburnt areas when larger proportions of their home range burnt. Site fidelity was very high - individuals rarely moved their home ranges after fire, regardless of fire exposure. Our results suggest recently burnt areas may be particularly dangerous for P. tridactylus: areas that can be attractive yet confer lower fitness outcomes. P. tridactylus may benefit from smaller fire scars, retention of structurally complex vegetation, and integrating invasive predator control with prescribed burning.

Faithful pals and familiar locales: differentiating social and spatial site fidelity during reproduction.

Site fidelity-the tendency to reuse familiar spaces-is expected to improve fitness. Familiarity with the local environment is particularly crucial when resource demands or predation risk are high. Consequently, site fidelity often peaks during reproduction when energetic costs are high and offspring are vulnerable. For many species, the environment they experience is not solely a function of geography but also of the social environment. Social fidelity, the selection for familiar social environments, could constitute an independent or parallel strategy to spatial fidelity when considering behaviour at the spatial-social interface. Using global positioning system locations from caribou across Newfoundland, we tested whether females selected calving sites based on proximity to familiar conspecifics, in addition to geographical (spatial) fidelity. These strategies were synergistic, not alternative, and correlated across the population but more variable within individuals. We also tested whether either form of fidelity affected reproductive success. We failed to detect an effect of spatial or social fidelity on reproductive success in this population. Nevertheless, given the association between social and spatial fidelity and the demonstrated fitness consequences of site fidelity in other systems, familiar conspecifics and the potential benefits these social partners provide may be an underappreciated component driving site fidelity.This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'.

Active crocodiles are less sociable.

How animals move and associate with conspecifics is rarely random, with a population's spatial structure forming the foundation on which the social behaviours of individuals form. Studies examining the spatial-social interface typically measure averaged behavioural differences between individuals; however, this neglects the inherent variation present within individuals and how it may impact the spatial-social interface. Here, we investigated differences in among-individual (co)variance in sociability, activity and site fidelity in a population of wild estuarine crocodiles, Crocodylus porosus, across a 10-year period. By monitoring 118 crocodiles using coded acoustic transmitters and an array of fixed underwater receivers, we discovered that not only did individual crocodiles repeatably differ (among-individual variation) in each behaviour measured but also in how consistently they expressed these behaviours through time (within-individual variation). As expected, crocodile activity and sociability formed a behavioural syndrome, with more active individuals being less sociable. Interestingly, we also found that individuals that were either more sociable or displayed greater site fidelity were also more specialized (lower within-individual variation) in these behaviours. Together, our results provide important empirical evidence for the interplay between spatial, temporal and social individual-level behavioural variation and how these contribute to forming behavioural niches. This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'.

Comparing cost‐effectiveness of radio and drone telemetry with playback surveys for assessing translocation outcomes

Abstract Post‐release monitoring is critical for assessing translocation outcomes. Yet the quality of information gained from monitoring can vary greatly, and perceived monitoring costs often results in reduced monitoring effort. Selecting cost‐effective monitoring strategies that provide high quality data are therefore important for assessing translocation outcomes and making informed management decisions. To compare how monitoring strategy affects information gained, we monitored a toutouwai/North Island robin (Petroica longipes) reintroduction in Aotearoa New Zealand, based on monitoring objectives of determining survival, site fidelity and whether the extent of management was large enough to protect dispersing individuals. We compared how these objectives were met through four monitoring strategies: (1) comprehensive surveys with ground radio telemetry and playback; (2) aerial drone telemetry; (3) dedicated playback by trained surveyors and (4) opportunistic playback by predator control contractors. We undertook a viewshed analysis to determine search coverage of each strategy and compared detection rates, efficiency and cost. Comprehensive ground telemetry and playback, while costly, covered the largest area and provided the most accurate data on dispersal, survival and the translocation outcome. In comparison, opportunistic playback monitoring detected substantially fewer individuals, giving a false impression of low site fidelity and survival and a failed translocation. Although drone telemetry had considerable site‐specific limitations, which limited its effectiveness during our study, it was the most cost‐effective with a high detection rate and low search effort. Synthesis and applications: Our study shows the value of intensive monitoring in facilitating management decisions for wildlife translocations. Comprehensive telemetry and playback, while costly, were invaluable for gaining high quality information on the translocation outcome. Without suitable monitoring, reintroduction outcomes can be difficult to assess and potentially result in unnecessary, ineffective or overly expensive management actions. We recommend that monitoring intensity and methodology should reflect the site, species and level of uncertainty regarding the translocation outcome. Prioritising monitoring can help reduce long‐term costs, increase quality of information gained and allow for more informed management decisions that can improve subsequent translocation outcomes.