title: Do apprehended saffron finches know how to survive predators? A careful look at reintroduction candidates.
abstract: Wildlife trafficking is a major factor contributing to the reduction of biological diversity. In Brazil, trafficked animals are apprehended by environmental agencies and released in the wild. The maintenance of wild animals in captivity may jeopardize their survival in the wild, for example, by reducing their ability to recognize a predator. Saffron finches (Sicalis flaveola) are among the most trafficked Brazilian birds. Twenty-eight apprehended saffron finches were submitted to Temperament and Predator-recognition tests, with presentation of predator and non-predator models: a live and a taxidermised hawk, a taxidermised armadillo and a Lego cube. The captive saffron finches have retained general anti-predator responses, such as increasing alertness, avoiding back-facing and keeping distance when presented with potential predators. The birds responded more strongly to the live hawk than to the cube. Although some responses to the other stimuli were not statistically different from each other, a decrease in intensity of response with the decrease in threat level was remarkable. We found no relationship between temperament traits and responses to predators: a possible consequence of husbandry practices in captivity. Our results indicate saffron finches may retain basic anti-predator responses in captivity, which favours release and reintroduction programmes: information relevant for conservation management.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar, 500, Prédio 41, Coração Eucarístico, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais CEP 30535-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luisa Mascarenhas Ladeia
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dutra
authors.affiliation: School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford Manchester-The Crescent, Salford M5 4WT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robert John
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar, 500, Prédio 41, Coração Eucarístico, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais CEP 30535-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: Conrado Aleksander Barbosa
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Galdino
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar, 500, Prédio 41, Coração Eucarístico, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais CEP 30535-901, Brazil. Electronic address: angelicavasconcellos@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Angélica da Silva
authors.initials: Ada S
authors.lastname: Vasconcellos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D046369:Finches; D046428:Hawks; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013694:Temperament
keywords: Anti-predator behaviour; Reintroduction; Sicalis flaveola; Survival; Temperament