Ecostudies Institute: Turkey Reintroduction

Current Research
Ecostudies Institute is monitoring population size and reproduction of wild
turkeys in ENP using images from standardized infra-red camera surveys, and
will begin a study of radio-tagged turkeys beginning in 2006. Results from the
camera surveys are providing a baseline of information from which we can
evaluate the long-term population and reproduction trends, and thus the
ultimate success of the reintroduction program. The study of radio-tagged
turkeys will provide information on post-release movements, home range size,
and habitat use of turkeys. These results will be used to estimate the carrying
capacity of ENP habitats, which will provide a population target that can be
used as a measure of success for the reintroduction program. Currently we
lack information on the habitat requirements of turkeys in ENP, which hinders
our ability to develop habitat management goals that benefit turkeys. Habitat
use information from radio-tracking will allow us to provide guidelines to
managers, particularly as it relates to fire, for creating and maintaining habitat
conditions that promote healthy and stable populations of wild turkey.

Overview
The reintroduction of avian species to the pine rocklands of
Everglades National Park (ENP) has been identified as a necessary
part of restoration in upland communities. At the same time,
reintroductions serve as important tests of the progress made in
restoring pine rockland habitat, both through the protection of
these forests and through appropriate fire and hydrological
management (click here for information on South Florida pine
rocklands). Consequently, monitoring reintroduced species is
critical to evaluate the outcome of reintroduction studies,
particularly those that investigate the effects of restoration
actions, ecological conditions, and management activities on
populations of native species in pine rocklands.

Ecostudies Institute, ENP, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the National Wild
Turkey Federation are joined in a cooperative effort to restore the Wild Turkey to ENP. In 2000,
twenty-nine Florida wild turkey were released into ENP as part of it's upland avian reintroduction
program. Post-release monitoring through radio-telemetry and infra-red camera surveys indicated
released individuals bred successfully and that at least one of the originally-released individual is still alive.
However, the population size has decreased and the sex ratio is strongly skewed towards males.
Several hypotheses have been suggested to explain this pattern including too few birds initially released
and effects associated with small populations. Recently, a decision was made to conduct a second
release in January 2006.