Evaluation of Predator Recognition Training in Bonytail

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OVERVIEW Reclamation is furthering its mission by engaging in conservation measures for wildlife in an environmentally and economically sound manner pursuant to goals set forth in the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) (LCR MSCP 2004). The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is a committed partner in the LCR MSCP, and ultimately the Razorback Sucker and Bonytail species will benefit from these conservation actions. The project includes research and experimentation, which may contribute to the conservation of the Razorback Sucker and Bonytail species. The objective of the proposed project is to determine if training increases Bonytail and Razorback Sucker survival when exposed to predators. This proposal builds upon the 2012 Bureau of Reclamation assistance agreement with the AZGFD (R12AC30007) tasked with investigating the potential for training Bonytail and Razorback Suckers to recognize and avoid predators. One of the early conclusions of the prior work is that the schooling behavior of Bonytail may allow untrained fish to show improved survival because they recognize predator avoidance behaviors exhibited by trained individuals. The project includes restoration of six ponds (mesocosms), which will be used to evaluate differences in the survival of Bonytail and Razorback Suckers following various levels of predator avoidance training. There are three study components to the proposed work described here: 1) pond restoration, 2) intensive predator avoidance training and marking; and 3) remote sensing of marked fish to assess short-term post-training survival. The effort will be coordinated with Valle Vista Golf Course (VVGC) in Kingman, Arizona, with whom AZGFD is establishing a long-term memorandum of agreement. The VVGC will provide a location for the ponds and access to the site for experimentation purposes. This new experimental facility will provide an opportunity to apply laboratory conclusions at a mesocosm scale with high replication.

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