Mottled Duck introductions to South Carolina: The ugly, the bad, and the good?

Abstract

Translocations or other movements of wildlife sometimes accomplish their intended objectives, but unforeseen consequences may arise and disrupt locally adapted ecological communities, restructure or dilute genetic integrity of populations or subspecies of the moved organism, and otherwise negatively influences a species’ long‐term fitness. Two historical populations of Mottled Ducks ( Anas fulvigula ) exist and are endemic to (1) Mexico and the West‐Gulf Coast ( A . f . maculosa ) regions of the United States and (2) Florida ( A . f . fulvigula ). From 1975 to 1983, 1285 Mottled Ducks from Florida, Louisiana, and Texas were released to coastal South Carolina, primarily to ultimately establish a legally harvestable population. This movement stirred mixed reactions amid the conservation community. Contemporary information suggests an increasing Mottled Duck population in South Carolina and possibly dispersing into Georgia. Herein, I objectively discuss the potential consequences of this new population per the birds’ evolution, ecology, and management. Ultimately, I suggest that this translocation is a long‐term benefit to the species.

Mottled ducks, feral mallards, and their hybrids in Florida

“…There are 2 genetically discrete mottled duck populations in North America; the Florida mottled duck ( A. f. fulvigula ) is endemic to peninsular Florida, USA, and the Gulf Coast mottled duck ( A. f. maculosa ) is endemic to the western Gulf Coast in Texas and Louisiana with no gene flow observed between populations (Peters et al 2016). A third population, consisting of an introduced mottled duck population in coastal South Carolina and Georgia, is the result of the successful release of 1,259 Gulf coast mottled ducks and 26 Florida mottled ducks by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and public stakeholders between 1975 and 1983 (Davis 2022). The Florida mottled duck inhabits an area of approximately 90,000 km 2 within peninsular Florida (Johnson et al 1991).…”