Study

The fate of a population of the endemic frog Leiopelma pakeka (Anura: Leiopelmatidae) translocated to restored habitat on Maud Island, New Zealand

  • Published source details Bell B.D., Pledger S. & Dewhurst P.L. (2004) The fate of a population of the endemic frog Leiopelma pakeka (Anura: Leiopelmatidae) translocated to restored habitat on Maud Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 31, 123-131.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Translocate frogs

Action Link
Amphibian Conservation
  1. Translocate frogs

    A before-and-after study in 1984–2003 on Maud Island, New Zealand (Bell, Pledger & Dewhurst 2004) found that translocated Maud Island frogs Leiopelma pakeka established a population that remained relatively stable. Losses of translocated frogs were offset by local recruitment. Numbers declined initially (survival: 64%), but annual survival rate was then high (97%). Seventy per cent of translocated frogs and 35 young recruits were (re)captured over the 20-years of monitoring. Survival of local recruits was 80%. Most frogs settled within the release site, but a few dispersed up to 26 m. Translocated frogs became significantly heavier (per unit length) than those in the source population; average range size did not differ (12 m2). Frogs were marked and translocated from one forest remnant to one 0.5 km away that had no Maud Island frogs. Forty-three frogs were moved in May 1984 and 57 in May 1985. Monitoring was carried out during 4–5 successive nights over 600 m2 at least twice annually until 1994 and then annually until March 2003.

     

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