Important tools to Amazon parrots’ reintroduction programs

Abstract

Anti-predator behaviour and personality have important consequences in the survival of captive-bred animals after reintroduction in the wild. The personality of an animal can be defined as the low within-individual variation in behavior relative to between-individual variation in behavior. Mortality caused by predation is the main reason for reintroduction failure, and to train captive-born animals to avoid predators is a manner to solve this problem. However, how anti-predator training affects the personality of animals is uncertain. This study aimed to test the behavioural responses of captive Amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva, Psittacidae) submitted to an anti-predator conditioning protocol, and to evaluate if anti-predator training affects parrot personalities. Twenty-six parrots were trained against predators using stuffed models; their personalities were evaluated by calculating boldness scores before and after anti-predator training sessions. Parrots increased the expression of anti-predator behaviours when tested to all models; control groups behave in a more relaxing way. The anti-predator responses persisted for 60 days after the end of the training sessions. Boldness scores increased in 50% of cases after anti-predator training sessions, and only in 33% of cases the parrots became shyer after anti-predator training. The tendency of parrots to exhibit bold behaviors in the personality test even after the training sessions may be explained by their early experiences, habituation to the novel objects, low behavioral plasticity or high cognitive ability. To train naive parrots showed to be an effective tool to enhance behavioural responses against predators before reintroduction. The study of personality is of great importance in reintroduction and translocation programs to determine the position of each individual in the shy-bold continuum and help in the selection of the individuals more suited for reintroduction.