Airborne translocation of mammals using parachutes

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

50%
Certainty

24%
Harms

15%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Translocating animals into remote terrain can be logistically challenging. Holding animals for several days while moving across ground can cause them stress and, potentially, illness or mortality. Dropping animals from an airplane means that they can be held captive for shorter periods, though it may be harder to choose the precise release location. Parachutes, combined with a container that opens upon landing, can be used in aerial drops.

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects of airborne translocation of mammals using parachutes. This study was in the USA.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (1 STUDY)

Survival (1 study): A study in the USA found that at least some North American beavers translocated using parachutes established territories and survived over one year after release.

BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A study in 1948–1949 in a forest in Idaho, USA (Heter 1950) found that at least some North American beavers Castor canadensis translocated using parachutes established territories and survived over one year after release. Seventy-six beavers were dropped from an airplane over the translocation area using parachutes. All but one survived the drop. After one year, an unspecified number of beavers had built dams and constructed houses. In the autumn of 1948, seventy-six beavers were parachuted into a remote forest area. Animals were dropped in pairs, inside wooden boxes (76 × 40 × 30 cm), using 7.3-m rayon parachutes of war surplus stock. Boxes consisted of two sections fitted together as a suitcase, with 2.5-cm ventilation holes. A system of ropes snapped the box open with the collapse of the parachute. The system had been tested on an old male beaver named "Geronimo”. Observations were made of the surviving beavers in late 1949 (details not reported).
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Heter E.W. (1950) Transplanting beavers by airplane and parachute. Journal of Wildlife Management, 14, 143-147.

Please cite as:

Littlewood, N.A., Rocha, R., Smith, R.K., Martin, P.A., Lockhart, S.L., Schoonover, R.F., Wilman, E., Bladon, A.J., Sainsbury, K.A., Pimm S. and Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Terrestrial Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for terrestrial mammals excluding bats and primates. Synopses of Conservation Evidence Series. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

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This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Terrestrial Mammal Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Translocate predators for ecosystem restoration Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	2	Synopsis Link
Use tranquilizers to reduce stress during translocation Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link
Use holding pens at release site prior to release of translocated mammals Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	35	Synopsis Link