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 (<i>Tayassu pecari </i>- 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，参与野化放归项目的动物个体间存在的行为差异，可能会对其放归后的存活率以及整体野化放归成效产生影响。因此，本研究旨在验证白唇西貒（white-lipped peccaries，*Tayassu pecari*，以下简称WLPs）的个体行为差异是否会影响其野化放归后的探索与扩散行为。本研究采用标准行为学方法，从攻击性、探索性、社交性三个维度，对17只圈养白唇西貒的行为特征进行了描述。随后，通过设置食物供应的时空不可预测性范式，对这些动物开展了为期90天的放归前训练。训练结束后，我们将白唇西貒转移至巴西大西洋森林残存斑块内放归点的放归前围栏中。在此围栏中，我们沿用食物供应的时空不可预测性范式，并通过软放归技术（soft release technique）为动物提供当地可获取的果实与块根。32天后，我们对白唇西貒进行放归，并对其后续12个月的活动轨迹开展追踪监测。正如预期，白唇西貒在本次分析的三个行为维度上均存在个体间行为差异。尽管性别与年龄未对其行为特征评分产生显著影响，但体重的增加与攻击性的增强呈正相关。社交性最差的白唇西貒会率先在放归区域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对野化放归后的白唇西貒的探索与扩散行为产生影响。因此，为提升野化放归的成功率，有必要针对个体的行为特征制定定制化的放归前训练方案。