T. Joanen

Reintroduction and Colony Expansion of the Brown Pelican in Louisiana

The eastern brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis) virtually disappeared from Louisiana by 1963. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (FGFWFC) reintroduced from Florida to southeastern Louisiana 1,276 fledgling pelicans at 3 release sites between 1968 and 1980. Florida transplants established 2 restored nesting populations, 1 at North Island in the Chandeleur Island chain and 1 at Queen Bess Island in Barataria Bay. The LDWF transplanted 149 fledglings from the Queen Bess colony to Last Island, Isles...

Food Habits of Native Wild and Farm-released Juvenile Alligators

Stomach contents of 108 juvenile alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) were analyzed to determine if alligators hatched and raised in captivity (until 120-cm size) then released to the wild would be capable of foraging successfully for food. Seventyeight farm-reared, post-released alligators harvested during the 1991 annual alligator hunt on Marsh Island Wildlife Refuge and 30 native wild alligators harvested of similar size class were selected and stomach contents compared. Crustaceans were the most important prey item among all alligators, with blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) being...