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Captive breeding is often used to produce individuals for reintroduction programs in order to reestablish a species in an area where it has become locally extinct. To maximize the likelihood of establishing a self-sustaining population in the wild, an analysis of data from captive breeding programs is commonly undertaken to (1) increase the quantity of individuals and rate at which they can be released, and (2) maintain or improve the genetic and phenotypic quality of individuals. Here we demonstrate how the knowledge gained from these analyses can also be applied to decision-making during the design of subsequent reintroductions to further advance a reintroduction program toward success. We conducted an analysis of data from a captive breeding program for the threatened pookila (Pseudomys novaehollandiae , New Holland mouse) spanning 6 years. We found evidence for relationships between the reproductive output of pookila and behavioral, demographic, experiential, health, and physiological predictors. Based on a biological interpretation of these results, and with reference to a checklist of all known translocation tactics, we recommend 11 specific design elements to maximize the probability of pookila reproduction postrelease (thereby improving the likelihood of reintroduction success). These recommendations should be interpreted as hypotheses to be evaluated and refined in future reintroduction trials for the pookila. The uncertainty around the postrelease survival and reproduction of a species that is common in reintroduction practice warrants the creative use of existing data to inform adaptive management. Indeed, there is a wealth information in well-kept captive breeding records that is currently underused by reintroduction practitioners. The direct integration of knowledge derived from captive breeding (where available) with decision-making for reintroductions, as described here, will help navigate these uncertainties, which would benefit the conservation of both understudied and well-known species around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the ongoing decline of fauna worldwide, there has been growing interest in the rewilding of whole ecosystems outside of fenced sanctuaries or offshore islands. This interest will inevitably result in attempts to restore species where eliminating threats from predators and competitors is extremely challenging or impossible, or reintroductions of predators that will increase predation risk for extant prey (i.e., coexistence conservation). We propose 'Mini Safe Havens' (MSHs) as a potential tool for managing these threats. Mini Safe Havens are refuges that are permanently permeable to the focal species; allowing the emigration of individuals while maintaining gene flow through the boundary. Crucial to the effectiveness of the approach is the ongoing maintenance and monitoring required to preserve a low-to-zero risk of key threats within the MSH; facilitating in-situ learning and adaptation by focal species to these threats, at a rate and intensity of exposure determined by the animals themselves. We trialled the MSH approach for a pilot reintroduction of the Australian native New Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae), in the context of a trophic rewilding project to address potential naïveté to a reintroduced native mammalian predator. We found that mice released into a MSH maintained their weight and continued to use the release site beyond 17 months (525 days) post-release. In contrast, individuals in temporary soft-release enclosures tended to lose weight and became undetectable approximately 1-month post-release. We discuss the broad applicability of MSHs for population recovery and reintroductions 'beyond-the-fence' and recommend avenues for further refinement of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife translocations to human-modified and inferred formerly occupied habitats can be controversial when they involve a high degree of perceived risk of failure, often stemming from a large number of unknowns or misconceptions regarding the focal species' ecology. However, it is increasingly recognised that such translocations are necessary to guide effective conservation strategies, particularly for species that persist in a subset of the habitats they formerly occupied. As a step towards alleviating some of the perceived risks around these translocations, we suggest the focal species' microhabitat use in the recipient locality of a trial translocation be compared with that where they still persist. Using a case study of a threatened Australian rodent, the pookila (Pseudomys novaehollandiae, New Holland mouse), we demonstrate how such an assessment can shed light on ecological misconceptions that may need to be addressed, and bring about the revision of species-specific recommendations for restoration works and release tactics. Feeding this knowledge back into the decision-making process, practitioners may more confidently direct future conservation activities (including further trial translocations) across a broader diversity of habitats within the species' indigenous range. Widespread and systematic implementation of this approach may help to reverse the impacts of shifting baseline syndrome, and should ultimately aid the resilience of species to future environmental change. [Display omitted] • A strategic translocation and assessment of microhabitat use may be applied to • (1) Infer microhabitat suitability despite different vegetation or climate • (2) Counter general misconceptions regarding a species' ecology • (3) Guide restoration works and release tactics for future translocations; and • (4) Encourage a species' conservation across a broader diversity of habitats [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]