Careful monitoring of reintroduced threatened species is essential for informing conservation strategies and evaluating reintroduction efforts in an adaptive management context. We used noninvasive genetic sampling to monitor a reintroduction of a threatened shrubland specialist, the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis), in southeastern New Hampshire, USA. We monitored the apparent survival and breeding success of founder individuals and tracked changes in population size and genetic diversity for 5 years following an initial reintroduction in 2013. We released 42 rabbits, documented 29 unique offspring in years following releases through noninvasive surveys, and identified 6 founder individuals and 9 recruited offspring that bred. Apparent survival of founders was variable and greatest in the first year of the reintroduction. Predation was the primary cause of mortality and greatest in the first month after release and after heavy snowfall. Population size remained small but relatively stable until a stochastic decline in the fourth year following reintroduction, followed by a slight rebound after population augmentation and offspring production by wild‐born rabbits. Genetic diversity increased after the initial founders with diverse genetic backgrounds were released and then they and their subsequent offspring bred. We documented successful dispersal 700 m from the release site to a high‐quality patch of habitat, which remained occupied throughout the study. For New England cottontail reintroductions to be successful in the long term, releases will be needed at multiple patches within dispersal distance, and habitat corridors need to be restored among patches to create a functioning metapopulation. For small or isolated reintroduced populations, continued intensive monitoring is needed to detect stochastic declines in population size or changes in sex ratios and guide subsequent management reactions via additional reintroductions or population augmentations. Noninvasive genetic sampling is a valuable tool to monitor reintroductions of the New England cottontail and other threatened species to provide managers with detailed information to inform decision‐making in an adaptive management framework. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

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使用无创基因采样监测新英格兰棉尾的再引入

认真监测重新引入的受威胁物种对于在保护性管理环境中告知保护战略和评估重新引入工作至关重要。我们使用非侵入性基因取样来监测濒危灌木丛专家新英格兰棉尾（Sylvilagus transitionalis），位于美国新罕布什尔州的东南部。在2013年首次重新引入后，我们监测了创始人个体的表观存活率和繁殖成功，并追踪了种群数量和遗传多样性在5年内的变化。我们释放了42只兔子，通过无创调查发现了这些兔子在释放后的29年中的独特后代，并确定了6只创始人个体和9个新近繁殖的后代。创始人的表观存活率是可变的，并且在重新引入的第一年最大。捕食是造成死亡的主要原因，在释放后的第一个月和大雪之后最大。人口规模仍然很小，但相对稳定，直到重新引入后第四年出现随机下降，野兔繁殖后，种群增加并产生后代，随后略有反弹。最初具有不同遗传背景的创始人被释放后，他们及其后代的后代繁殖了遗传多样性。我们记录了从释放点成功分散700 m到高质量栖息地的过程，整个研究过程中该栖息地一直被占用。为使新英格兰棉尾虫长期成功导入，需要在散布距离内的多个斑块上释放，并需要在斑块之间恢复栖息地走廊，以建立功能性的种群。对于小型或孤立的再引入种群，需要持续不断的密集监测，以发现人口数量的随机下降或性别比例的变化，并通过额外的重新引进或人口增加来指导随后的管理反应。非侵入性基因采样是监测新英格兰棉尾鱼和其他受威胁物种重新引入的宝贵工具，可为管理人员提供详细信息，以在适应性管理框架内为决策提供依据。©2020野生动物协会。