Translocation of the Seychelles warbler Acrocephalus sechellensis to establish a new population on Denis Island, Seychelles

Published source details Richardson D.S., Bristol R. & Shah N.J. (2006) Translocation of the Seychelles warbler Acrocephalus sechellensis to establish a new population on Denis Island, Seychelles. Conservation Evidence, 3, 54-57.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Translocate songbirds Action Link
	Translocate songbirds Action Link

Translocate songbirds

A before-and-after study from May 2004 to September 2005 (Richardson et al. 2006) investigated the translocation of 58 adult Seychelles warblers Acrocephalus sechellensis in May and June 2004 from Cousin Island to Denis Island, Seychelles. The introduced population grew to 75 individuals by August 2005. Twenty-seven female and 31 male warblers were captured a month before the onset of the breeding season (the time of peak bird weight and condition) and were translocated within 24 hours. Denis Island, which was not part of the warbler’s historic range, was selected as the site for introduction as a predator-free island with suitable habitat and food availability. Of the 35 breeding territories vacated on Cousin Island because of the warbler translocations, all but three were occupied within an average of 5.4 days, with the source population rebounding to its pre-translocation level by September 2005.
Translocate songbirds

A before-and-after study in the Cook Islands (Richardson et al. 2006) translocated 30 Rarotonga monarchs Pomarea dimidiata (one to two years old) from Rarotonga Island to Atiu Island between August 2001 and August 2003. In June 2004 the monarch population was at least 15 birds, with breeding occurring in 2002 and 2003. Atiu Island was selected as the area for introduction based on the local community’s commitment to conservation, the island’s size (greater than 500ha), the apparent absence of black rats Rattus rattus, and the presence of suitable areas of habitat. Translocated birds were screened for blood-borne parasites before release, with the risk of infection from other species on Atiu considered low. Birds were translocated in 50 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm plywood boxes, each with a dwelling perch and ventilation holes, within 18 hours of capture.