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Early post-release movement of reintroduced lions (Panthera leo) in Dinokeng Game Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa

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Abstract

Reintroductions have been increasingly used in carnivore conservation. Animal movement influences fitness and survival and is the first behavioural response of reintroduced animals to ‘forced dispersal’ in a new habitat. However, information available on early post-release movement of reintroduced carnivores remains limited. We studied movements of 11 reintroduced lions (Panthera leo) in Dinokeng Game Reserve, South Africa, in their first season of release and investigated changes in movements over time. Movement patterns of lions were more diverse than expected and varied between sexes and individual groups. Some lion groups returned to the area surrounding the release site after initial exploration and avoided human settlements, suggesting that vegetation and human disturbances influenced dispersal upon release. Cumulative home range size continued to increase for all lions despite individual differences in movement patterns. We highlight the importance of considering the variation in individual-specific behaviour and movement patterns to assess early establishment and reintroduction success.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by The Rufford Foundation and The University of Hong Kong Postgraduate Research Travel Award. We wish to thank the Dinokeng Management Association for the permission to conduct the research and provision of satellite collars. We thank Kwalata Game Ranch, Mongena Game Lodge, Pride of Africa, Paradise Link, iKhaya LamaDube Game Lodge and landowners for their assistance in the field and for allowing the fieldwork to be undertaken in their properties. We thank Trevor Keith and Charl Pretorius for their invaluable support throughout.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Cape d’Aguilar, Shek O, Hong Kong

    Sze-Wing Yiu & Leszek Karczmarski

  2. Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    Mark Keith

  3. Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa

    Sze-Wing Yiu & Francesca Parrini

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  1. Sze-Wing Yiu
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Correspondence to Leszek Karczmarski.

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Yiu, SW., Keith, M., Karczmarski, L. et al. Early post-release movement of reintroduced lions (Panthera leo) in Dinokeng Game Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa. Eur J Wildl Res 61, 861–870 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-015-0962-0

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