New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
The fate of a population of the endemic frog Leiopelma pakeka
(Anura: Leiopelmatidae) translocated to restored habitat on Maud Island,
New Zealand
Ben D. Bell1
Shirley Pledger2
Paulette L. Dewhurst1
1School of Biological Sciences
Victoria University of Wellington
P.O. Box 600
Wellington, New Zealand
email: Ben.Bell@vuw.ac.nz
2School of Mathematics and Computing Science
Victoria University of Wellington
P.O. Box 600
Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract We assess the fate of 100 Leiopelma pakeka
transferred in two batches from remnant forest on Maud Island to a new site
at Boat Bay, 0.5 km away, in 1984-85. Seventy of the original 100 individual
frogs were recaptured, plus 35 young recruits into the population. The 43
frogs released in 1984 settled closer to the release site than did the 57
released a year later, suggesting that many of the later arrivals avoided
sites already occupied by frogs. Boat Bay frogs became heavier than frogs
in the source population, presumably a reflection of lower population density
and greater per capita food supply. Numbers declined initially, but the frog
population remained relatively stable after losses of founder individuals
began to be offset by local recruitment. The mean annual survival rate after
initial settlement was high (97%), indicating an average life expectancy
of 33 years.
Keywords Leiopelma pakeka; capture-recapture;
translocation; conservation; demography; frogs
Z03021; Received 19 May 2003; accepted 30 October 2003; Online
publication date 12 May 2004
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2004, Vol. 31: 123-131
0301-4223/04/3102-0123 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004
PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality (227K) |
screen-quality (119K)
This year's abstracts |
Journal home page |
All abstracts |
Publishing home page
