Efficiency of antipredator training in captivebre

Authors: Marilina Vera Cortez Diego J Valdez Joaquín L Navarro Mónica B Martella

Publish Date: 2014/10/14

Volume: 18, Issue: 2, Pages: 187-195

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Abstract

High postrelease mortality of captive greater rheas reintroduced into the wild might be mitigated with antipredator training that helps released individuals recognize their predators We analyzed whether captivebred greater rheas conserve antipredator behavior and evaluated the efficiency of antipredator training by recording survival after reintroduction into the wild Training involved 12 individuals and consisted of a stimulus representing the natural predator taxidermized puma paired to an aversive stimulus simulated capture The control stimulus consisted of an innocuous object chair that was not paired to the aversive stimulus Thirty and 60 days after the last training session we presented the trained and control individuals nine untrained individuals to the predator stimulus which was not paired to the aversive one All of the greater rheas showed vigilant and running behaviors in the presence of the predator model Trained individuals did not discriminate between a predator and a nonpredator stimulus but they recognized the predator up to 2 months later Survival was nil 8 months after release However only one individual was killed by a puma whereas the remaining individuals died due to dog attack and poaching Training did not increase survival of reintroduced greater rheas because of the failure to consider other potential predators such as dogs or humans Therefore captive breeding might have affected greater rheas’ behavior by preventing them from recognizing man as a predatorWe are grateful to Cordoba Zoo Argentina for allowing us to use the facilities We are very thankful to the owners of Estancia Las Dos Hermanas Wildlife Refuge and the Rachel and Pamela Schiele Foundation for allowing us to conduct the research in their property Thanks to Colegio La Salle Córdoba Argentina for lending us the taxidermized puma This work was made possible thanks to the generous collaboration of N S Della Costa A M and V Delorenzi A Lèche N V Marinero J E Minuzzi Fahn N S Zamboni and L G Vera Cortez Funding was provided by grants from the Secretaría de Ciencia y Tecnología of the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba SECyT UNCN° 162/12 and 124/13 and the Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica FONCyT Argentina PICT2241 to MBM

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