In 1989, the Nature Conservancy Council and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds commenced reintroduction of the red kite (Milvus milvus) according to International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria. Following 22 years of intensive effort, the red kite reintroduction programme has been a success with an estimated 1000 pairs now breeding in England. Post-release health surveillance is ongoing and has been achieved through radio-tracking, monitoring breeding at nest sites and pathological examinations of any red kites found dead. Tail-mounted radio transmitters were fitted from 1989 with harness-mounted radio transmitters being preferentially used since 2000. Since 2000, 180 individuals have been recovered for postmortem examination. Eighteen of these birds had previously had a harness-mounted radio transmitter fitted and four of these (22 per cent) had moderate to severe lesions associated with the presence of the harness and radio transmitter including chronic necrogranulomatous inflammation, deep muscular exposure and distorted muscular conformation. Failure to breed was also reported in two of these individuals over the preceding year(s), although it is not known whether the presence of the harness contributed to this failure. Duration of deployment may have been a significant factor in the formation of these lesions as those with lesions (n=4) had a statistically significant (P=0.009) longer duration of deployment compared to those without lesions (n=14). No lesions were reported in those red kites fitted with tail-transmitters.

Wildlife populations have been introduced to new areas by people for centuries, but this human-mediated movement can disrupt natural patterns of genetic structure by altering patterns of gene flow. Insular populations are particularly prone to these influences due to limited opportunities for natural dispersal onto islands. Consequently, understanding how genetic patterns develop in island populations is important, particularly given that islands are frequently havens for protected wildlife. We examined the evolutionary origins and extent of genetic structure within the introduced island population of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) on the Channel Island of Jersey using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequence and nuclear microsatellite genotypes. Our findings reveal two different genetic origins and a genetic architecture reflective of the introductions 120 years ago. Genetic structure is marked within the maternally inherited mtDNA, indicating slow dispersal of female squirrels. However, nuclear markers detected only weak genetic structure, indicating substantially greater male dispersal. Data from both mitochondrial and nuclear markers support historic records that squirrels from England were introduced to the west of the island and those from mainland Europe to the east. Although some level of dispersal and introgression across the island between the two introductions is evident, there has not yet been sufficient gene flow to erase this historic genetic “footprint.” We also investigated if inbreeding has contributed to high observed levels of disease, but found no association. Genetic footprints of introductions can persist for considerable periods of time and beyond traditional timeframes of wildlife management.

Eurasian buzzards which have liver concentrations likely to be associated with lethal and sublethal effects is probably obtained when they prey upon or scavenge gamebirds and mammals shot using Pb shotgun pellets.

Running Head: Disease risk analysis for a reintroduction programme 2 SummaryThere are risks from disease in undertaking wild animal reintroduction programmes. Methods of disease risk analysis have been advocated to assess and mitigate these risks,and, post-release health and disease surveillance can be used to assess the effectiveness of the disease risk analysis but results for a reintroduction programme have not to date been recorded. We carried out a disease risk analysis for the reintroduction of pool frogs (Pelophylax lessonae) to England, using information gained from the literature and from diagnostic testing of Swedish pool frogs and native amphibians. Ranavirus and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis were considered high risk disease threats for pool frogs at the destination site. Quarantine was used to manage risks from disease due to these two agents at the reintroduction site: the quarantine barrier surrounded the reintroduced pool frogs. Post-release health surveillance was carried out through regular health examinations of amphibians in the field at the reintroduction site and collection and examination of dead amphibians. No significant health or disease problems were detected but the detection rate of dead amphibians was very low. Methods to detect a higher proportion of dead reintroduced animals and closely related species are required to better assess the effects of reintroduction on health and disease.

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The success of any population translocation programme relies heavily on the measures implemented to control and monitor the spread of disease. Without these measures, programmes run the risk of releasing immunologically naïve species or, more dangerously, introducing novel infectious agents to native populations. As a precaution, a reintroduction programme for the common or hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius, in England screens dormice before release following captive breeding. Using PCR sequencing of a range of genes, we tested whether the same species of tapeworm(s) were present in captive and free-living dormice. Whilst only Rodentolepis straminea were identified in free-living dormice, cestode ova found in a captive individual produced a molecular match closely related to Hymenolepis microstoma and a previously unrecorded Rodentolepis species. To prevent putting at risk the free-living population, we recommended the continued treatment of dormice showing tapeworm infection before release. Our work demonstrates how molecular techniques can be used to inform reintroduction programmes, reduce risk from disease and increase chances of reintroduction success.

The hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) remains severely restricted as a breeding species in England despite sufficient habitat for over 300 breeding pairs. Human persecution is the main limiting factor and in the UK, there have been 45 confirmed incidents of shooting of hen harriers since records began (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds unpublished data). The authors report the pathological examination of a hen harrier, the detection of suspected ballistic fragments by radiograph and explain how scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) was used to confirm (i) the composition of one ballistic remnant and (ii) that the remnant had been projected into and had damaged the bone. The authors report the use of post-analysis software to discriminate apparent anomalies produced by the proprietary SEM-EDX software package and discuss broader uses of SEM-EDX for wildlife crime investigation.

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