Spatial distribution and seasonal movement patterns of reintroduced Chinese giant salamanders

Abstract

Abstract Background Very little is known about the temporal or spatial movement patterns of Chinese giant salamanders (Andrias davidianus) due to their rarity, remote habitat and secretive nature. Commercial breeding farms provide a unique opportunity as a source of animals for reintroduction and spatial ecology studies, which will help inform conservation management efforts for this threatened species. We surgically implanted radio transmitters into the body cavity of 31 juvenile giant salamanders, and these salamanders were subsequently released into two small river systems (Donghe and Heihe Rivers) located in the Qinling Mountains of central China and were monitored daily from May 2013 to August 2014. Results Only two salamanders survived through the end of the project at the Heihe River compared with 12 at the Donghe River, thus movement data for salamanders released at the Heihe river are described individually. The overall sedentariness (ratio of no movement to all observations) for the two salamanders at the Heihe River was 0.29 and 0.28 compared to the average sedentariness of 0.26 ± 0.01 for the 12 salamanders at the Donghe River. Mean daily movement was 15.4 m ± 0.7 at the Heihe River compared to 9.3 m ± 0.3 at the Donghe River. Overall linear home range (LHR) was 246 m and 392 m for the two salamanders at the Heihe River, compared with a mean LHR of 227.2 m ± 70.5 at the Donghe River. The Donghe salamanders exhibited different movement patterns across seasons, having higher sedentariness, shorter daily movement, and smaller LHR in winter than in summer. Up-stream dispersal and fidelity to release site were recorded at both rivers. The mean dispersal distance for the Donghe River salamanders was 145.3 m ± 61.9, while the two surviving salamanders at the Heihe River had a dispersal distance of 211 m and 205 m. Conclusions This project provides important insights on the movement ecology of a large aquatic salamander species, and in particular, our results may assist with reintroduction efforts by developing best management practices on when and where to release animals as a conservation strategy.

Keywords

• Andrias davidianus
• Aquatic salamander
• Daily movement
• Dispersal
• Home range
• Radio-telemetry