Survival and population size estimates of the red wolf

Abstract

Evaluating anthropogenic mortality is important to develop conservation strategies for red wolf (Canis lupus) recovery. We used 26 years of population data in a generalized linear mixed model to examine trends in cause‐specific mortality and a known‐fate model in Program MARK to estimate survival rates for the reintroduced red wolf population in North Carolina, USA. We found the proportion of mortality attributable to anthropogenic causes, specifically mortality caused by gunshot during fall and winter hunting seasons (Oct–Dec), increased significantly since 2000 and became the leading cause of red wolf death. Mortality rates were greatest for red wolves <4 years of age, and we suspect inexperience with human activities (e.g., hunting) likely caused younger wolves to be more susceptible to opportunistic killing by hunters. Since 1987, the red wolf population steadily grew and peaked at an estimated 151 individuals during 2005 but declined to 45–60 by 2016. To reduce the negative effects of anthropogenic mortality and ensure long‐term persistence of red wolves, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will need to re‐implement previous long‐standing and proven management practices (e.g., Red Wolf Adaptive Management Plan) on public and private lands and cease issuing take permits. The USFWS will also need to establish an effective management response to mitigate gunshot mortality through stronger regulation of coyote (Canis latrans) hunting and provide adequate ecologically and biologically supported regulatory mechanisms to protect red wolves. Finally, the USFWS should enhance recovery by providing information and education about red wolves to hunters and the general public. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

Size‐assortative choice and mate availability influences hybridization between red wolves (Canis rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans)

“…Currently, it is unknown whether innate preferences or environmental conditions are responsible for reproductive barriers observed in Canis taxa, but both conditions likely play an important role facilitating hybridization. It is widely acknowledged that humanmediated mortality of wolves disrupts the social structures of wolf packs and reduces their abundance on the landscape (Benson et al, 2014;Borg, Brainerd, Meier, & Prugh, 2015;Hinton, White, Rabon, & Chamberlain, 2017;Hinton, Brzeski et al, 2017;Milleret et al, 2017;. Because gray wolves and coyotes do not exhibit consorting behaviors that lead to congeneric pairings, even when wolf densities are low, there is no interaction between human-caused mortality and hybridization between gray wolves and coyotes in western North America (Hohenlohe et al, 2017;Wheeldon et al, 2010).…”

Substantial red wolf genetic ancestry persists in wild canids of southwestern Louisiana

“…(FWS, 2018c;Stoskopf et al, 2005). Red wolf recovery and taxonomic designation have since become contentious issues, particularly in recent years (Hinton et al, 2013;Hinton, White, Rabon, & Chamberlain, 2017;Hohenlohe et al, 2017;vonHoldt et al, 2016;Waples, Kays, Fredrickson, Pacifici, & Mills, 2018).…”

“…Human-caused mortality and hybridization with coyotes have remained the primary impediments to red wolf recovery (FWS, 2018c;Hinton et al, 2013;Hinton, White, Rabon, & Chamberlain, 2017;Stoskopf et al, 2005). Although application of an intensive placeholder strategy successfully mitigated coyote genetic introgression in the NEP to <5% (Gese & Terletzky, 2015), recent reviews questioned the longterm sustainability and necessity of this conservation action (FWS, 2018b;Wildlife Management Institute, 2014).…”

Managed movement increases metapopulation viability of the endangered red wolf

“…We combined >3 decades of individual‐level data with predictive modeling to show the importance of historical and future movement among subpopulations and other potential management changes to the conservation of the red wolf. Given that the NENC subpopulation is currently a sink population (Brown and Kodric‐Brown , Hinton et al ) due to elevated mortality and depressed reproduction, movement in the form of releasing wolves from the captive subpopulation is crucial for the survival of the NENC subpopulation. However, our results demonstrate that movement alone is not sufficient to promote a healthy metapopulation but rather must be combined with an increased size of the captive subpopulation and improvements to vital rates in the wild subpopulation.…”

“…Based on model predictions, the future growth of the wild subpopulation is more limited by elevated mortality than by depressed reproduction, although both are important and the 2 rates are likely linked. Anthropogenic mortality is the leading cause of death for wild red wolves (Hinton et al , ) and evidence suggests that human‐caused mortality in the wild subpopulation is additive (Sparkman et al ). Reducing the amount of anthropogenic mortality is expected to shift the overall timing of mortality in a way that increases breeding (Hinton et al ).…”