Effects of Toe Clipping on Survival, Recapture, and Return Rates of Jefferson Salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Toe clipping reduces the return rate of some wild amphibians, but effects of toe clipping on recapture rate and survival rate (the two components of return rate) have not been quantified for salamanders. Markrecapture data for Jefferson Salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) were analyzed to estimate these effects using eight different statistical models. These models allowed (1) the effect of removing each toe to remain constant or to increase proportionally with the number of toes removed; and (2) recapture rate and survival rate to remain constant or vary among years. The predicted effect on the return rate was similar for all eight models, with a reduction of about 1520 when three toes w..