Effect of an invasive competitor on the welfare of a threatened fish in a soft-release program
Grantee: Rafael Freire
Institution: Charles Sturt University, Australia
Grant amount: $20,200
Grant type: Discovery grants
Focal species: Southern pygmy perch (Nannoperca australis)
Conservation status: Endangered
Disciplines: Physiology, animal behavior, ichthyology, cognition
Research locations: Australia
Project summary
Invasive fish are common in most freshwater systems, yet their impact on the welfare of resident fish is often ignored. Invasive fish species compete and displace small-bodied native fish in several ways, including by preventing access to refuge sites, preferred foods, breeding grounds, and other important resources. This project will assess the welfare of native fish placed in sites with and without invasive competitors. Welfare will be measured using a novel population-level judgement bias test developed in 2023 with prior Wild Animal Initiative support. Additional measures of welfare will include differences in telomere attrition and typical physical correlates of welfare in fish. In addition to revealing the impact of invasive fish on small-bodied fish welfare, this work will also promote greater consideration of the impact of animal translocation and release activities on wild animal welfare.
Why we funded this project
This project builds on previous work funded by WAI and has immediate potential to inform freshwater systems restoration strategies with a welfare perspective. We are also pleased to see high-quality and scalable behavioral welfare indicators being developed for fish, a group whose welfare has historically been neglected and especially challenging to study.