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FIVE MARMOTS – KILLED IN WILD BY PREDATORS; RECOVERY FOUNDATION SADDENED BUT WORK TO SAVE SPECIES CONTINUES

September 3, 2003 - FIVE OF CANADA’S MOST ENDANGERED ANIMALS – THE VANCOUVER ISLAND MARMOT – KILLED IN WILD BY PREDATORS; RECOVERY FOUNDATION SADDENED BUT WORK TO SAVE SPECIES CONTINUES Five of Canada’s most endangered animals – the Vancouver Island marmot – have been killed by predators in their mountain homes near Nanaimo, including three marmots reintroduced to the wild in early July from breeding programs, the Marmot Recovery Foundation said Wednesday. “Unfortunately, this is not unusual when attempting to reintroduce a species where predation has played a role in their decline” said Dr. Andrew Bryant, a scientist working on the project. “We are saddened by the deaths of these animals but remain determined to save the Vancouver Island marmot from extinction and use the knowledge we gained from this event to make future reintroduction of marmots more successful.” “It’s a big loss, but we also learned a lot by putting these marmots out in the wild. Both the captive born and wild born animals displayed appropriate behavior, adapted to the site, foraged for food and even demonstrated appropriate predator recognition responses. So we know they can and will adapt, given the opportunity,” said Dr. Bryant. “We also learned that intensive monitoring is not going to be enough to protect these animals until they can get re-established”. “The whooping crane and black footed ferret reintroductions also suffered similar setbacks in the early stages of their recovery efforts but overcame the challenges,” Dr. Bryant noted, referring to other North American species, which are similarly endangered. Bryant said three of the four Vancouver Island marmots reintroduced to Green Mountain in early July were killed by predators, along with two other wild marmots on two separate mountains all west of Nanaimo. The attackers were likely cougars and wolves, he said. The Marmot Recovery Foundation had field crews present on the mountain every day with the hope that the intensive human presence would deter predators. “Unfortunately ‘shepherding’ failed to have the desired effect,” said Doug Janz of the BC Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection. “Losing any endangered animal is terrible but at the same time we have been able to hold the wild population steady over the last three years and increased the captive population significantly.” The Vancouver Island marmot is Canada’s most endangered mammal. There are currently less than 30 animals left in the wild, along with 78 in breeding programs across Canada. The Vancouver Island Recovery Plan goal is to increase the wild population to between 400 and 600 marmots. For more information contact: Andrew Bryant, MRF Scientist at 250-741-4574 or Doug Janz , Ministry Water Land and Air Protection at 250-751-3217 or Bill Tieleman at 604-844-7827. Visit www.marmots.org for more information.

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