Matt W. Hayward & Michael Somers 
Reintroduction of Top-Order Predators 

Large predators are among the most threatened species on the planet and ways of conserving them in the face of increasing human populations and associated resource requirements are becoming critical. This book draws upon the experiences of some of the world’s foremost large carnivore specialists to discuss the numerous issues associated reintroducing large predators back into their natural habitats. Reviews of internationally renowned reintroduction programs for wolves, European lynx and African wild dog reveal the successes and failures of these actions. Experts on tigers, snow leopards and jaguars contend that there are other conservation options of higher priority that will ensure their security in the long-term. Other experts discuss more theoretical aspects such as whether we know enough about these species to be able to predict their behavioural or ecological response to the reintroduction process. Social, economic, political and genetic considerations are also addressed.

Table of Content

List of contributors.

Foreword by Hans Kruuk.

Acknowledgements.

Dedications.

1. Reintroduction of Top-order Predators: Using Science to
restore one of the drivers of biodiversity Matt W. Hayward &
Michael J. Somers .

2. A critical assessment of South Africa’s managed
metapopulation recovery strategy for African wild dogs and its
value as a template for large carnivore conservation elsewhere
Harriet T. Davies-Mostert, M. Gus L. Mills & David W.
Macdonald.

3. Reintroduction decisions taken at the incorrect social scale
devalue their conservation contribution: the African lion in South
Africa Rob Slotow & Luke T.B. Hunter.

4. Recovery of Eurasian lynx in Europe: what part has
reintroduction played? John D. C. Linnell, Urs Breitenmoser,
Christine Breitenmoser-Würsten, John Odden & Manuela von
Arx.

5. Reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park:
History, values and ecosystem restoration.

Douglas W. Smith & Edward E. Bangs.

6. Aspects and Implications of Bear Reintroduction Joseph D.
Clark.

7. Tiger reintroduction in India: conservation tool or costly
dream? A. J. T. Johnsingh & M. D. Madhusudan.

8. Snow Leopards: Is reintroduction the best option? Rodney M
Jackson and Som B. Ale.

9. The Suitability of the Jaguar (Panthera onca) for
Reintroduction (what we know, what we need to know) Marcella J.
Kelly & Scott Silver.

10. The status and conservation of leopards and other large
carnivores in the Congo Basin, and the potential role of
reintroduction Philipp Henschel.

11. Reintroducing the dingo: can Australia’s conservation
wastelands be restored? Chris R. Dickman, Alistair S. Glen &
Mike Letnic.

12. The role of social behaviour in carnivore reintroductions
Michael J. Somers & Markus Gusset.

13. Survival of cheetahs relocated from ranchland to fenced
protected areas in South Africa Kelly Marnewick, Matt W.
Hayward, Deon Cilliers, & Michael J. Somers.

14. A framework for evaluating reintroduction success in
carnivores: lessons from African wild dogs Markus
Gusset.

15. A synthesis of early indicators of the drivers of predator
conservation on private lands in South Africa P.A. Lindsey, S.
Romañach & H. Davies-Mostert.

16. Moving beyond the descriptive: predicting the responses of
top-order predators to reintroduction Matt W. Hayward.

17. Genetic considerations in reintroduction programs for large
terrestrial predators Richard Frankham.

18. Breeding Far Eastern leopards for reintroduction – the
zoo program perspective Sarah Christie.

19. Lessons learnt and plans laid: seven awkward questions for
the future of reintroductions David W. Macdonald.

Index

About the author

Matt Hayward conducted a Ph D on the conservation ecology of
the Australian marsupial quokka, then studied bushmeat hunting in
the Transkei region of South Africa and the reintroduction of large
predators to Addo Elephant National Park. He is currently
researching Holarctic predator dietary ecology, forest regeneration
and European bison conservation in Bialowieza Primeval
Forest, Poland.

Michael Somers is a lecturer at the Centre for Wildlife
Management and a core team member of the NRF-DST Centre of
Excellence for Invasion Biology at the University of Pretoria. His
research interests are broad but mostly include reintroduction
biology and invasion ecology.