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Survival, interactions with conspecifics and reproduction in 37 chimpanzees released into the wild [An article from: Biological Conservation]
Book Details
PublisherElsevier
ISBN / ASINB000RR3M7O
ISBN-13978B000RR3M72
AvailabilityAvailable for download now
MarketplaceUnited States 🇺🇸
Description
This digital document is a journal article from Biological Conservation, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Description:
We report the results of eight years of post-release monitoring of 37 wild-born, captive chimpanzees released into the Conkouati-Douli National Park, Republic of Congo. Overall survival was high, with 23 (62%) individuals remaining in the release zone, and only 5 (14%) confirmed dead. Released females regularly interacted with wild chimpanzees. Several females appeared to have integrated into wild groups for extended periods of time, and four released females gave birth to a total of five offspring. However, encounters with wild chimpanzees were a major cause of mortality in released males, and 40-50% of released males would have died without veterinary intervention. These sex differences are in accordance with knowledge of chimpanzee behavioural ecology. Our results demonstrate that wild-born, captive chimpanzees can be released into the wild successfully, under certain specific conditions. Most importantly, careful planning and preparation is critical at all stages; a suitable release area must be identified; potential risks to existing wild populations, including the possibility of disease transmission, must be minimised; and post-release monitoring is essential. Adolescent females are the most suitable candidates for release, as they appear to be able to integrate successfully into wild communities. However, males should not be released where wild chimpanzees occur, as they are likely to be attacked and killed. Release into the wild addresses the welfare of certain individual animals, although it clearly cannot address the fate of all captive, wild-born chimpanzees. Knowledge of how to successfully release chimpanzees into the wild also has both current and potential future benefits for the conservation of wild chimpanzee populations. anzee populations.
Description:
We report the results of eight years of post-release monitoring of 37 wild-born, captive chimpanzees released into the Conkouati-Douli National Park, Republic of Congo. Overall survival was high, with 23 (62%) individuals remaining in the release zone, and only 5 (14%) confirmed dead. Released females regularly interacted with wild chimpanzees. Several females appeared to have integrated into wild groups for extended periods of time, and four released females gave birth to a total of five offspring. However, encounters with wild chimpanzees were a major cause of mortality in released males, and 40-50% of released males would have died without veterinary intervention. These sex differences are in accordance with knowledge of chimpanzee behavioural ecology. Our results demonstrate that wild-born, captive chimpanzees can be released into the wild successfully, under certain specific conditions. Most importantly, careful planning and preparation is critical at all stages; a suitable release area must be identified; potential risks to existing wild populations, including the possibility of disease transmission, must be minimised; and post-release monitoring is essential. Adolescent females are the most suitable candidates for release, as they appear to be able to integrate successfully into wild communities. However, males should not be released where wild chimpanzees occur, as they are likely to be attacked and killed. Release into the wild addresses the welfare of certain individual animals, although it clearly cannot address the fate of all captive, wild-born chimpanzees. Knowledge of how to successfully release chimpanzees into the wild also has both current and potential future benefits for the conservation of wild chimpanzee populations. anzee populations.
