Bobcat (Lynx rufus) populations in the Midwestern United States experienced historic declines due to habitat loss and exploitation but have rebounded in recent decades. We investigated natal dispersal of juvenile bobcats from a population in south‐central Indiana, USA, from 1999 to 2006. We radiocollared 16 juvenile bobcats (11 M, 5 F) and monitored them for 237–1,014 days (x̄ = 506). One female (20%) and 11 males (100%) dispersed from natal home ranges that averaged 14.6 km2 in size. Most juveniles (70%) initiated dispersal from mid‐February through March, late in their first year. Only 5 bobcats (42%) ultimately established a final home range 63 ± 35 km2 in size 13–92 km (x̄ = 44) from their natal range 140 ± 45 days after initiating dispersal. Survival did not differ (P = 0.93) between dispersing (S = 0.73) and philopatric (S = 0.75) individuals, although 4 bobcats (3 M, 1 F) were killed in collisions with vehicles. We found dispersal of bobcats in fragmented landscapes is prolonged and often unsuccessful; the ability of dispersers to locate suitable vacant habitat patches may be vital to the continued growth of bobcat populations recolonizing the agricultural Midwest.
Raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), a common gastrointestinal parasite of the raccoon (Procyon lotor), has been implicated in population declines of Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister). Medicinal baiting is a viable tool in wildlife disease management although unique challenges exist for pathogenic systems in which the host can be immediately re-infected following treatment. Our goals were to evaluate the efficacy of using monthly distribution of anthelmintic baits to reduce the prevalence of B. procyonis infection in raccoons and to quantify patterns and rates of bait acceptance among populations repeatedly exposed to medicinal baits. We distributed baits monthly at a density of 200/km 2 throughout 300-m buffer areas surrounding woodrat habitats in Indiana. We conducted raccoon latrine surveys annually to quantify the effect of treatment on roundworm prevalence and used remote cameras to identify the species contacting baits and determine the rate at which baits were removed. We observed declines in B. procyonis prevalence in response to treatment, but our ability to resolve statistical differences was limited by low pretreatment prevalence and high annual variability. Baits were removed rapidly from camera stations with 60% taken within 24 hours, 80% within 48 hours, and 90% within 72 hours. Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) removed 51% of baits whereas raccoons removed 44%. Identification of opossums as the predominant consumer of baits emphasizes the limitations imposed by non-target bait consumption for mitigation of B. procyonis and other wildlife diseases. The rapid removal of baits despite repeated bait exposure suggests that habituation did not result in bait aversion and fishmeal baits are a viable delivery system for mitigation of raccoon-borne diseases requiring repeated treatments. Similar treatment measures may facilitate conservation of Allegheny woodrats in habitats with high rates of B. procyonis-related mortality and could be used to reduce human exposure to this zoonotic parasite. Ó
Translocations are an important tool for wildlife conservation, although progress in the field of reintroduction biology has been hindered by the ad hoc and opportunistic nature of many translocations. We used an experimental translocation to elucidate the role of raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) and inbreeding depression in the decline of the Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister), an endangered species. We translocated woodrats from genetically diverse populations in the core of the species range to 4 previously occupied sites (reintroductions) and 2 sites supporting genetically depauperate populations (reinforcements) in Indiana (U.S.A.). In 2 reintroduction sites and 1 reinforcement site, we distributed anthelmintic baits to passively deworm raccoons and reduce the risk of woodrat exposure to roundworms. The remaining sites served as controls. We used raccoon latrine surveys and fecal flotation to monitor temporal variability in roundworm prevalence and effect of treatment. We used live trapping and microsatellite genotyping to monitor the demographic and genetic response of translocated populations over the following 54 months. At the conclusion of the study, 4 of 6 translocations were successfully maintaining abundance through local recruitment. The distribution of anthelmintic baits reduced levels of roundworm contamination, but levels of contamination were also low in 2 of 3 control sites. Reintroductions failed at control sites, one of which was due to high roundworm exposure. The other failed control reintroduction was likely attributable to demographic stochasticity and limited reproductive potential following initial mortality within the first 4 months. In both control and treatment reinforcements, increases in both allelic richness and heterozygosity were accompanied by increases in abundance, which is suggestive of genetic rescue. Our results demonstrate that mitigation of roundworm exposure through the distribution of anthelmintic baits can facilitate woodrat recovery and that diversity within genetically depauperate populations can be restored through the introduction of a limited number of individuals.
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