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<br />Arizona Game and Fish Department <br />Biological Evaluation: Kanab Ambersnail <br /> <br />July 1998 <br />Page 8 <br /> <br />Wild stock of KASs will be taken from VP to maintain genetic <br />integrity and simplify logistic and monitoring activities. Based <br />on discussions with Dr. Paul Keim (geneticist at Northern Arizona <br />University) and a review of scientific literature (LaCava and <br />Hughes 1984, Lacey 1987, Fitzsimmons et al. 1997), a genetically- <br />stable population of mollusks would require a minimum of 50-100 <br />individuals, with an annual immigration of 1-5 individuals for <br />genetic variability. <br /> <br />B. TRANSLOCATION PROCEDURE <br /> <br />Existing state and federal endangered species permits held by AGFD <br />can be modified under conservation activities to permit the <br />transfer of KASs from VP to wild establishment sites and the <br />refugium at TPZ. AGFD will have the necessary personnel and <br />transport materials for collecting and trans locating KASs in August <br />1998. AGFD requires the logistic boat support from GCMRC (funded <br />through USBR) for establishment activities including initial <br />monitoring to evaluate establishment success. Proposed <br />translocation protocols are based on the methods outlined in the <br />draft KAS Contingency Plan (Bills et al. in prep) . <br /> <br />Early life stage KAS (s5 mm in size) will be translocated in <br />August-Sept~~er 1998. Young KASs of this size class have a better <br />chance to survive over winter and become reproductively active next <br />season. In August-September mature KASs may be completing their <br />life cycle and would likely perish before the end of October. <br /> <br />Fi ve-hundred (500) KASs will be collected from VP in August- <br />September 1998. Each establishment site will receive one hundred <br />and fifty (150) KASs; the remaining fifty (50) will be transported <br />to TPZ. A collection of 500 KAS from VP achieves two objectives: <br />(1) minimal reduction in the source population (Table 1), and (2) <br />sufficient number of founders to establish wild populations. Our <br />goal is to have ~100 KASs at each establishment site before the end <br />of October 1998. A quantity of 150 founders for each site should <br />allow that goal to realized despite unforeseen translocation <br />mortality. <br /> <br />Three distinct zones of vegetation are present at VP: lower, <br />middle, and upper. The lower vegetation zone is closest to the <br />river channel, and as a result is most susceptible to habitat 1055 <br />as a result of high flows. The majority (ca. 75%) of KASs for <br />