Biologists with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Louisiana, USA, have managed statewide annual harvest of alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) for 35 years (1981–present). We collected and analyzed harvest data for Louisiana alligators to determine the effects of harvest on the population structure, focusing on the larger size classes (≥274 cm) of this slow‐growing species. Linear regression analyses revealed that body size‐class structure, based on overall average size and the percentage of animals harvested in the larger size classes was relatively stable. Annual aerial alligator nest counts indicated a continual growth of the population, and over time harvested alligators maintained a constant average size. Analyses of population size (based on number of nests and population modeling) indicated that the current annual harvest represents approximately 3% of the population. Linear regression analysis showed that annual hunter success declined only slightly during the study period, and the scheduling of the hunt season after the hatch period and recommended hunting in areas not frequented by breeding females provides economic opportunities for hunters to participate in a sustainable harvest that preserves the larger size classes of alligators in the population. Strict enforcement of existing laws was a key factor responsible for the success of this harvest program. Comparison of alligator population size and number of harvest‐related citations indicated that illegal harvest did not have a negative effect on population size, and linear regression analyses revealed that the rate of increase in citations was lower than the increase in populations over the study period. The results of this harvest program indicated that alligators can be hunted in a sustainable manner if hunting is conducted after the hatch period and occurs in areas that primarily exclude the harvest of adult females, and strict law enforcement curbs illegal activities that negatively affect populations. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.

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评价收成对路易斯安那州扬子鳄种群的影响

美国路易斯安那州路易斯安那州野生动植物与渔业部的生物学家管理着全州短吻鳄的年度收获（短吻鳄），历时35年（1981年至今）。我们收集并分析了路易斯安那州短吻鳄的收获数据，以确定收获对种群结构的影响，重点是该缓慢生长物种的较大尺寸类别（≥274cm）。线性回归分析显示，基于总体平均大小和较大规模动物中收获的动物的百分比，其身体尺寸结构是相对稳定的。年度空中扬子鳄巢计数表明种群持续增长，并且随着时间的推移，收获的扬子鳄保持恒定的平均大小。对种群规模的分析（基于巢的数量和种群模型）表明，当前的年度收成约占人口的3％。线性回归分析显示，在研究期间，年度猎人的成功仅略有下降，以及在孵化期之后安排狩猎季节，并建议在不育种的女性不常去的地区进行狩猎，这为猎人提供了经济机会，使其可以参与可持续的收获活动，从而保留了种群中较大数量的扬子鳄。严格执行现有法律是该收获计划成功的关键因素。扬子鳄种群数量和与收获有关的引文数量的比较表明，非法收获对种群数量没有负面影响，线性回归分析表明，在研究期间，引文的增长率低于种群的增长率。该收获计划的结果表明，如果在孵化期之后进行狩猎，并且发生在主要排除成年女性收获的地区，则可以可持续的方式猎捕鳄鱼，并且严格的执法措施制止了对人口造成负面影响的非法活动。©2021作者。这由Wiley Periodicals LLC代表野生动物协会出版的《野生动物管理杂志》。