The influence of predators and prey naivety on reintroduction success: current and future directions

Despite decades of research into predator control, predation by exotic predators is the leading cause of reintroduction failure in Australia and New Zealand. A variety of methods are used to deal with the threat of predation, including excluding and controlling predators and improving prey responses. Fenced reserves and islands are becoming increasingly popular reintroduction sites and generally have high reintroduction success. However, in this chapter, we argue that the current emphasis on predator exclusion is short-sighted and does not consider the underlying issue of prey naivety. We call for a new paradigm focusing on improving the ability of prey to co-exist with exotic predators – one that acknowledges behavioural plasticity and natural selection.