CABLE VERSUS SHOCK‐CORD HARNESSES: EFFECTS ON FEMALE WILD TURKEY MORTALITY

Abstract: A major assumption inherent to survival studies is that radio‐tagging does not affect the survival of individuals. If biologists arbitrarily accept this assumption to be true, negatively biased survival rates could result. We obtained survival data from female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Steven D. Roberts, William F. Porter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1995-01-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.1995.tb00221.x
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850156770790473728
author Steven D. Roberts
William F. Porter
author_facet Steven D. Roberts
William F. Porter
author_sort Steven D. Roberts
collection DOAJ
description Abstract: A major assumption inherent to survival studies is that radio‐tagging does not affect the survival of individuals. If biologists arbitrarily accept this assumption to be true, negatively biased survival rates could result. We obtained survival data from female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in south‐central New York during 1990‐91 to determine whether survival differences existed between hens equipped with either shock‐cord or aircraft‐cable harnesses. Postcapture (28 days after instrumentation) survival of cable‐harnessed hens (S = 0.757, SE = 0.071, n = 37) was lower (P = 0.005) than that of shock‐cord‐harnessed hens (S = 0.966, SE = 0.023, n = 61). Although confounding factors prevented direct conclusions, ancillary data suggested that cable harnesses may negatively affect postcapture survival. Annual survival of cable‐harnessed hens (S = 0.387, SE = 0.098, n = 28) was marginally lower (P = 0.10) than that of shock‐cord‐harnessed hens (S = 0.640, SE = 0.119, n = 20). More similar (P = 0.26) survival rates were observed when harness‐related mortalities were censored. Use of cable harnesses could negatively affect wild turkey survival.
format Article
id doaj-art-0e109a75c07a41f18f982415694b7cf9
institution OA Journals
issn 2328-5540
language English
publishDate 1995-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Wildlife Society Bulletin
spelling doaj-art-0e109a75c07a41f18f982415694b7cf92025-08-20T02:24:25ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55401995-01-011995S112312710.1002/j.2328-5540.1995.tb00221.xCABLE VERSUS SHOCK‐CORD HARNESSES: EFFECTS ON FEMALE WILD TURKEY MORTALITYSteven D. Roberts0William F. Porter1Faculty of Environmental and Forest BiologyState University of New YorkCollege of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNY13210Faculty of Environmental and Forest BiologyState University of New YorkCollege of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuseNY13210Abstract: A major assumption inherent to survival studies is that radio‐tagging does not affect the survival of individuals. If biologists arbitrarily accept this assumption to be true, negatively biased survival rates could result. We obtained survival data from female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in south‐central New York during 1990‐91 to determine whether survival differences existed between hens equipped with either shock‐cord or aircraft‐cable harnesses. Postcapture (28 days after instrumentation) survival of cable‐harnessed hens (S = 0.757, SE = 0.071, n = 37) was lower (P = 0.005) than that of shock‐cord‐harnessed hens (S = 0.966, SE = 0.023, n = 61). Although confounding factors prevented direct conclusions, ancillary data suggested that cable harnesses may negatively affect postcapture survival. Annual survival of cable‐harnessed hens (S = 0.387, SE = 0.098, n = 28) was marginally lower (P = 0.10) than that of shock‐cord‐harnessed hens (S = 0.640, SE = 0.119, n = 20). More similar (P = 0.26) survival rates were observed when harness‐related mortalities were censored. Use of cable harnesses could negatively affect wild turkey survival.https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.1995.tb00221.xMeleagris gallopavo silvestrismortalityNew Yorkradio‐taggingradiotelemetryright‐censoring
spellingShingle Steven D. Roberts
William F. Porter
CABLE VERSUS SHOCK‐CORD HARNESSES: EFFECTS ON FEMALE WILD TURKEY MORTALITY
Wildlife Society Bulletin
Meleagris gallopavo silvestris
mortality
New York
radio‐tagging
radiotelemetry
right‐censoring
title CABLE VERSUS SHOCK‐CORD HARNESSES: EFFECTS ON FEMALE WILD TURKEY MORTALITY
title_full CABLE VERSUS SHOCK‐CORD HARNESSES: EFFECTS ON FEMALE WILD TURKEY MORTALITY
title_fullStr CABLE VERSUS SHOCK‐CORD HARNESSES: EFFECTS ON FEMALE WILD TURKEY MORTALITY
title_full_unstemmed CABLE VERSUS SHOCK‐CORD HARNESSES: EFFECTS ON FEMALE WILD TURKEY MORTALITY
title_short CABLE VERSUS SHOCK‐CORD HARNESSES: EFFECTS ON FEMALE WILD TURKEY MORTALITY
title_sort cable versus shock cord harnesses effects on female wild turkey mortality
topic Meleagris gallopavo silvestris
mortality
New York
radio‐tagging
radiotelemetry
right‐censoring
url https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.1995.tb00221.x
work_keys_str_mv AT stevendroberts cableversusshockcordharnesseseffectsonfemalewildturkeymortality
AT williamfporter cableversusshockcordharnesseseffectsonfemalewildturkeymortality