Cavalcante-Neto et al.

Some studies suggest that behavioral variation among animals destined for reintroduction programs could influence their post-release survival and overall reintroduction success. Therefore, we aimed to test whether individual behavioral differences in white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari - WLPs) influence their exploratory and dispersal behavior after reintroduction. Using a standard ethological approach, we described the behavioral traits of 17 captive WLPs along three dimensions: aggressiveness, exploration, and sociability. Then, using spatial and temporal unpredictability of food supply, we subjected the animals to 90 days of pre-release training. Following this, we moved the WLPs to a pre-release enclosure at the release site in a remnant area of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. In this enclosure, we maintained spatial and temporal unpredictability to provide locally available fruits and roots using the soft release technique. After 32 days, we released the WLPs and tracked their movements for the next 12 months. As expected, WLPs displayed individual behavioral variation across the three dimensions analyzed. While sex and age did not affect their behavioral trait scores, an increase in body weight was associated with heightened aggressiveness. The least sociable WLPs were the first ones to explore and disperse in the release site. Our results showed that the individual behavioral variation indeed influences the exploration and dispersal of reintroduced WLPs. Therefore, to increase the chances of successful reintroduction, it is necessary to develop pre-release training strategies that are tailored to the behavioral traits of the individuals.

已有研究表明，参与野放计划的动物个体间的行为差异，可能会影响其放归后的存活状况与整体野放成效。为此，本研究旨在检验白唇西猯（white-lipped peccaries，WLPs，学名*Tayassu pecari*）的个体行为差异，是否会对其放归后的探索行为与扩散行为产生影响。本研究采用标准化行为学研究方法，对17只圈养白唇西猯的行为性状从攻击性、探索性与社交性三个维度进行了系统描述。随后，通过设置食物供应的时空不可预测性，对受试动物开展了为期90天的放前训练。训练结束后，将白唇西猯转移至巴西大西洋森林残存区域内放归位点的预放归圈舍中。在此圈舍内，我们维持食物供应的时空不可预测性，并采用软释放技术（soft release）为其提供当地可获取的果实与块根。32天后，我们对白唇西猯实施放归，并在随后12个月内对其活动轨迹进行了持续追踪。正如预期，白唇西猯在上述三个行为维度上均表现出显著的个体间行为差异。尽管性别与年龄未对其行为性状评分产生影响，但体重的增加与攻击性提升存在关联。社交性最低的白唇西猯，最早在放归位点开展探索与扩散活动。本研究结果证实，个体行为差异确实会影响野放白唇西猯的探索与扩散行为。因此，为提升野放计划的成功率，需针对个体行为性状制定个性化的放前训练策略。