To translocate or not to translocate? Embedding population modelling in an inclusive structured decision-making process to overcome a conservation impasse

Parlato EH; Fischer JH; Steeves TE; Graydon K; Kennedy E; Makan T; Patterson E; Thurley T; Welch J; Parker KA

To translocate or not to translocate? Embedding population modelling in an inclusive structured decision-making process to overcome a conservation impasse

dc.citation.volume	Early View
dc.contributor.author	Parlato EH
dc.contributor.author	Fischer JH
dc.contributor.author	Steeves TE
dc.contributor.author	Graydon K
dc.contributor.author	Kennedy E
dc.contributor.author	Makan T
dc.contributor.author	Patterson E
dc.contributor.author	Thurley T
dc.contributor.author	Welch J
dc.contributor.author	Parker KA
dc.contributor.editor	Ewen J
dc.contributor.editor	Petracca L
dc.date.accessioned	2024-10-24T20:13:00Z
dc.date.available	2024-10-24T20:13:00Z
dc.date.issued	2024-07-20
dc.description.abstract	The need for effective conservation strategies to combat the ongoing biodiversity crisis is well recognised. Conservation translocations are an important and frequently used form of conservation management for species recovery. Despite this, the uncertainty prevalent throughout the translocation cycle often makes it challenging to determine whether translocations should be included in the suite of actions to achieve desired conservation outcomes. Further, the fundamental question of whether translocations should occur is seldom assessed as a formal decision. We applied a formal decision analysis for the conservation management of a highly threatened bird (karure \| kakaruia \| Chatham Island black robin \| Petroica traversi) to evaluate whether translocation and/or other actions should be implemented for species recovery. The species' precarious status (<330 adults), combined with uncertainty about translocation outcomes, meant that for years, decision-makers were reluctant to act given the potentially severe consequences of translocation failure. We used structured decision-making in conjunction with population modelling to estimate the consequences of translocations and other actions across a range of objectives identified by Moriori and Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri (Indigenous Peoples of Rēkohu \| Wharekauri \| the Chatham Islands), the local community and government agencies. Structured decision-making facilitated an inclusive approach that ensured all participants were actively engaged in the decision-making process including the identification of the best management alternative while balancing multiple objectives. This process overcame the long-standing conservation impasse, resulting in rapid implementation of actions, including translocation, that would have otherwise been difficult to achieve. The preferred alternative across objectives involved multiple translocations, illustrating the vital role translocations have in the desired future management for the species. The methods used in our study can be readily applied in other species recovery programmes to help decision-makers navigate the complexities and uncertainties inherent in conservation decisions.
dc.description.confidential	false
dc.identifier.citation	Parlato EH, Fischer JH, Steeves TE, Graydon K, Kennedy E, Makan T, Patterson E, Thurley T, Welch J, Parker KA. (2024). To translocate or not to translocate? Embedding population modelling in an inclusive structured decision-making process to overcome a conservation impasse. Animal Conservation. Early View.
dc.identifier.doi	10.1111/acv.12969
dc.identifier.eissn	1469-1795
dc.identifier.elements-type	journal-article
dc.identifier.issn	1367-9430
dc.identifier.uri	https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/71846
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of the Zoological Society of London
dc.publisher.uri	https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acv.12969
dc.relation.isPartOf	Animal Conservation
dc.rights	(c) 2024 The Author/s
dc.rights	CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
dc.rights.uri	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subject	Decision analysis
dc.subject	population model
dc.subject	expert elicitation
dc.subject	reinforcement
dc.subject	threatened species
dc.subject	management
dc.subject	translocations
dc.subject	Petroica traversi
dc.title	To translocate or not to translocate? Embedding population modelling in an inclusive structured decision-making process to overcome a conservation impasse
dc.type	Journal article
pubs.elements-id	490920
pubs.organisational-group	Other