The Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis) is Canada’s most endangered endemic mammal. In 1997, a conservation breeding-for-release program was established to supplement wild marmot populations. Retrospective analyses of captive breeding studbook records since 2000 indicate the age of the sire and the dam significantly impacted the odds of successfully weaning a litter. Dams and sires between 5 and 7 years of age had more than double the odds of reproductive success compared to older animals. Successful reproduction by the dam in the previous year also doubled the odds of successfully weaning a litter in subsequent years. Assessment of adrenal function via fecal glucocorticoid analyses indicated established breeding pairs had decreased stress compared to new pairs (5.74 ± 0.28 ng/g vs. 7.60 ± 0.34 ng/g; p < 0.0001). Pairs that were ultimately successful at weaning pups in a breeding season had decreased stress compared to unsuccessful pairs (6.05 ± 0.34 ng/g vs. 7.22 ± 0.28 ng/g; p = 0.0006). These endocrine results suggest social buffering via familiarity and breeding/pair bond formation may be decreasing stress in established and successful pairs, respectively. The results of this study will be used to assist in the captive breeding management of this species to optimise numbers of animals produced to supplement the wild populations.

Enteric parasites can have wide-ranging effects throughout an ecosystem, often driving coevolutionary and ecological processes. Parasites have long been overlooked in conservation efforts because of the negative impact inflicted on their hosts; however, parasites make up a significant component of Earth's biodiversity and host conservation efforts need to be parasite inclusive. The Vancouver Island marmot (VIM), Marmota vancouverensis, is an endangered alpine rodent endemic to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Captive-bred VIMs are released to augment the wild population, but their susceptibility to parasites is unknown. The objectives of this study were to describe the diversity, prevalence, severity, and temporal variation of VIM enteric parasites. Noninvasive fecal samples were collected from wild and captive marmots and analyzed using a modified McMaster fecal egg floatation technique to indicate parasite prevalence and relative mean abundance. We identified oocysts and ova from 3 parasite taxa including a protozoan coccidium not previously described in the VIM (prevalence 68%), an ascarid nematode Baylisascaris laevis (prevalence 82%), and an anoplocephalid cestode Diandrya vancouverensis (prevalence 8%). Depending on the species, comparisons revealed variation in parasite infection by sex, by colony, and between wild and captive VIMs, but not among age classes or by female reproductive status. Finally, captive VIMs displayed significant monthly variation in parasite prevalence and mean egg abundance, suggesting a seasonal influence on parasite egg shedding. This information is critically important for future research investigating the influences of these trends on the health, ecology, and conservation of VIMs and their parasites.

Lay Summary & BULL; Migratory birds time their annual migrations to take advantage of temporal and spatial variation in resources, disease, and predation. & BULL; Timing of these migrations is broadly determined by an internal biological clock set by day length, but individuals may refine when and how they migrate in response to environmental conditions. & BULL; We used 11 years of satellite tracking data to investigate migratory cues in Barrow's Goldeneye, a species of sea duck. & BULL; We found that birds used weather conditions as migratory cues, leaving their wintering grounds earlier in warmer springs and arriving on their breeding grounds earlier when the snow melted earlier in the year. & BULL; Because individuals respond to conditions both where they start and where they end spring migration, our results suggest that Barrow's Goldeneye update their migratory decisions during migration. & BULL; Barrow's Goldeneye's ability to respond to environmental cues suggests that they may be able to adapt to ongoing climate change. Timing of seasonal bird migrations is broadly determined by internal biological clocks, which are synchronized by photoperiod, but individuals often refine their migratory timing decisions in response to external factors. Using 11 years of satellite telemetry data, we show that Pacific Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) at higher latitudes initiated spring and molt migrations later and fall migration earlier than individuals at lower latitudes. We further show that individuals refined migratory timing in response to interannual variation in environmental conditions. Individual Barrow's Goldeneye initiated spring migration earlier in years with warmer springs at their overwintering locations and concluded spring migration earlier in years with earlier annual snowmelt on their breeding grounds. Because individuals respond to conditions both where they initiate and where they conclude spring migration, our results suggest that Barrow's Goldeneye update their migratory decisions en route. For all 3 migrations in their annual cycle, birds delayed initiating migration if they had been captured and tagged prior to that migration. Birds that initiated migration late for their latitude were less likely to include a stopover and completed that migration faster, partially compensating for delayed departures. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that Barrow's Goldeneye uses a combination of endogenous cues and environmental cues in migratory decision making. Sensitivity to environmental cues suggests that Barrow's Goldeneye may have behavioral plasticity that is adaptive when faced with ongoing climate change.

Vancouver Island marmots (Marmota vancouverensis) (VIMs) are a critically endangered species of fat-storing hibernators, endemic to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to in-situ conservation efforts, a captive breeding program has been ongoing since 1997. The captive diet is mostly pellet-based and rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). In captivity, overall length of hibernation is shortened, and marmots have higher adipose tissue reserves compared to their wild-born counterparts, which may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality in captive marmots. To investigate differences in lipid metabolism between wild and captive populations of VIMs, blood vitamin E, fatty acid (FA) profiles and leptin, and white adipose tissue (WAT) FA profiles were compared during the active season (May to September 2019). Gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and multiplex kits were used to obtain FA profiles, α-tocopherol, and leptin values, respectively. In both plasma and WAT, the concentration of the sum of all FA in the total lipids was significantly increased in captive VIMs. The n-6/n-3 ratio, saturated FAs, and n-6 PUFAS were higher in captive marmots, whereas n-3 PUFAs and the HUFA score were higher in wild marmots. Serum concentrations of α-tocopherol were greater by an average of 45% in captive marmots, whereas leptin concentrations did not differ. Results from this study may be applied to improve the diet and implement weight management to possibly enhance the quality of hibernation and decrease the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases of captive VIMs.

Captive breeding is often a last resort management option in the conservation of endangered species which can in turn lead to increased risk of inbreeding depression and loss of genetic diversity. Thus, recording breeding events via studbook for the purpose of estimating relatedness, and facilitating mating pair selection to minimize inbreeding, is common practice. However, as founder relatedness is often unknown, loss of genetic variation and inbreeding cannot be entirely avoided. Molecular genotyping is slowly being adopted in captive breeding programs, however achieving sufficient resolution can be challenging in small, low diversity, populations. Here, we evaluate the success of the Vancouver Island marmot ( Marmota vancouverensis ; VIM; among the worlds most endangered mammals) captive breeding program in preventing inbreeding and maintaining genetic diversity. We explored the use of high-throughput amplicon sequencing of microsatellite regions to assay greater genetic variation in both captive and wild populations than traditional length-based fragment analysis. Contrary to other studies, this method did not considerably increase diversity estimates, suggesting: (1) that the technique does not universally improve resolution, and (2) VIM have exceedingly low diversity. Studbook estimates of pairwise relatedness and inbreeding in the current population were weakly, but positively, correlated to molecular estimates. Thus, current studbooks are moderately effective at predicting genetic similarity when founder relatedness is known. Finally, we found that captive and wild populations did not differ in allelic frequencies, and conservation efforts to maintain diversity have been successful with no significant decrease in diversity over the last three generations.

Effective management of migratory animals requires an understanding of individual movement patterns throughout the annual cycle. We used satellite transmitters to track adult Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) captured at five wintering sites, one breeding site, and one molting site from across the species' geographic range in western North America. The data were analyzed to assess the strength of migratory connectivity and determine latitudinal and sex effects on migration phenology. At the range-wide scale, migratory connectivity was high; cluster analyses showed subpopulations aggregated at each stage of the annual cycle. Barrow's Goldeneye from all wintering latitudes traveled north and east to breed. Compared to females, males traveled farther north to molt and consequently traveled longer distances when returning to their wintering areas. Wintering latitude had little effect on migration distance but a large effect on the phenology of migration. Individuals that wintered at northern latitudes arrived on their wintering areas earlier and departed later than individuals that wintered farther south. Individuals that wintered at northern latitudes also arrived on and left their inland breeding areas later but left their molting sites earlier than individuals that wintered farther south. Sex also influenced the phenology of migration at all sites: males left their mates during incubation and consequently spent less time on breeding areas and more time on their molting and fall staging areas. The high level of migratory connectivity observed in this study suggests that the subpopulation of Barrow's Goldeneye in south-central Alaska is demographically independent from subpopulations in southeast Alaska and British Columbia, and could be managed separately.

Vancouver Island marmots (Marmota vancouverensis) have been managed in a captive-breeding program since 1997, as in situ conservation efforts were insufficient in raising the numbers of this critically endangered species. The success of captive-breeding programs centers on sustainable reproduction and survival of individuals once released into the wild. Captive-born Vancouver Island marmots released to the wild have lower survival rates than their wild-born counterparts; this difference may arise from compromised hibernation patterns or behaviors. Hibernation duration, body weight over the hibernation season, and reproductive success of captive Vancouver Island marmots were reviewed to assess the effect of these variables on each other. Data from a total of 1782 hibernations and 456 breeding attempts were compiled from 1997 to 2018. The number of winters spent in captivity, the origin of the marmot (captive-born or wild-born), the facility at which hibernation occurred, and the body weight all had a significant effect on hibernation length (all p < .001). Increased weight was associated with increased hibernation length by 0.4 ± 0.1 day/kg on average (p = .0015). Captive, wild-born marmots hibernated for significantly longer than their captive-born counterparts by about 21 ± 2 days (p < .001). The odds of successful breeding were significantly increased with increasing hibernation length by approximatively 20% for every 10 additional days of hibernation. This study provides information on the intrinsic relationship between body weight, reproduction, and hibernation in captive Vancouver Island marmots.

Most North American Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) undertake a post-breeding migration to two hypersaline lakes in the USA: Mono Lake in California and Great Salt Lake in Utah. Single air photo surveys were conducted in mid-October at Mono Lake from 1996-2012 and multiple fall surveys were conducted from 20132018, the latter to determine variation in abundance patterns within and across years. In four of the six years with multiple fall surveys, peak abundance occurred in mid-October as expected. However, in 2014 and 2015, Eared Grebe numbers declined dramatically soon after arrival, coinciding with low levels of their primary food, brine shrimp (Artemia monica). Abundance remained low from 2016-2018, and this could have been due to a shift to Great Salt Lake or to a massive mortality event. In 2017 and 2018, Eared Grebes breeding in south-central British Columbia, Canada were marked with Very High Frequency (VHF) radio transmitters and light-level geolocator (GLS) tags. Contrary to 1996, when the majority of VHF-tagged birds were molting/staging on Mono Lake, our 2017-2018 telemetry data indicated that most individuals were on Great Salt Lake. Our study provides insight into the variable abundance patterns at Mono Lake and novel information on Eared Grebe migration patterns.

Biologging data allow animal ecologists to directly measure species' fine-scale spatiotemporal responses to environments, such as movement - critical for our understanding of biodiversity declines in the Anthropocene. Animal movement between resource patches is a behavioral expression of multiple ecological processes that affect individual fitness. Protected area (PA) networks are a tool used to conserve biodiversity by sustaining habitat patches across vast heterogeneous landscapes. However, our ability to design PA networks that conserve biodiversity relies on our accurate understanding of animal movement and functional connectivity; this understanding is rarely tested in real-world situations due to the large geographic expanse of most PA networks. Using a tractable PA network mesocosm, we employ cutting-edge biologging technology to analyze animal movement decisions in response to a highly heterogeneous landscape. We analyze these data to test, in a novel way, three common hypotheses about functional connectivity - structural corridors, least cost paths, and stepping stones. Consistently, animals moved along structurally self-similar corridors. In reference to the Aichi 2020 Biodiversity Targets, relying on species to "stepping stone" across habitat remnants may not achieve protected area network conservation objectives.

Received 22 May 2015, accepted 23 October 2015 SUMMARY BERTRAM, D.F., MacDONALD, C.A., O’HARA, P.D., CRAGG, J.L., JANSSEN, M.H., McADIE, M. & BOYD, W.S. 2015. Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus movements and marine habitat use near proposed tanker routes to Kitimat, BC, Canada. Marine Ornithology 44: 3–9. We report on movements and marine habitat use of breeding Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus offshore of Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada, with particular reference to the proposed “Northern Gateway” tanker traffic routes. Adult Marbled Murrelets were captured at night on the water during the pre-laying period (April 2014) in Wright Sound, near Hartley Bay, BC. Six birds were tagged with 5 g solar satellite transmitters. We had short-lived or no detections for two birds, detections for two weeks for three birds, and detections throughout the breeding season and beyond for one bird whose tag continued to transmit signals. Marine habitat use in relation to three alternative proposed tanker routes was examined for individual murrelets by using kernel density estimation to generate probability density functions of location, incorporating Argos location errors. Areas of high, medium and low encounter probabilities for each bird were generated. Use of marine habitats, coupled with a large population of birds in the area during the breeding season, suggests that there is a strong potential for interaction between tankers and murrelets along the proposed routes. However, based on the movement of one bird to south-central Alaska, individuals may migrate out of the area, reducing the likelihood of interactions post-breeding.

We examined hepatic EROD activity, as an indicator of CYP1A induction, in Barrow’s goldeneyes captured in areas oiled during the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill and those from nearby unoiled areas. We found that average EROD activity differed between areas during 2005, although the magnitude of the difference was reduced relative to a previous study from 1996/1997, and we found that areas did not differ by 2009. Similarly, we found that the proportion of individuals captured from oiled areas with elevated EROD activity (⩾2 times unoiled average) declined from 41% in winter 1996/1997 to 10% in 2005 and 15% in 2009. This work adds to a body of literature describing the timelines over which vertebrates were exposed to residual Exxon Valdez oil and indicates that, for Barrow’s goldeneyes in Prince William Sound, exposure persisted for many years with evidence of substantially reduced exposure by 2 decades after the spill.

We characterized legacy and new contaminants in the highly endangered Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada) marmot and found generally low blood and fat concentrations of a complex mixture of pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), -dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), -dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in their tissues. The dominance of the more volatile alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) pesticides and the lesser chlorinated PCB congeners suggests that atmospheric processes largely explain the contamination of this high-altitude herbivore.