The fate and movements of aquarium-released giant trevally Caranx ignobilis inferred from acoustic telemetry

Movements of four adult giant trevally Caranx ignobilis were tracked using passive acoustic telemetry after being released from uShaka Sea World Aquarium in Durban, South Africa, where they had been kept on display for a period of 8 years. All four individuals were detected on a large network of deployed acoustic receivers for a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of over 6 years. Their movements were compared to 43 wild-caught and tagged C. ignobilis over a similar period and two individuals adopted movement behavior similar to that of their conspecifics, including repeated annual seasonal migrations to a known spawning aggregation site. This study shows that with good animal husbandry, indigenous fish kept in captivity can be released back into the wild and not only survive but adopt natural movement behavior and contribute to future generations of their species.

Automated summary

This study tracked the movements of four adult giant trevally after they were released from a public aquarium. The trevally were detected on a network of acoustic receivers for a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of over 6 years. Two individuals exhibited similar movement behavior to wild-caught trevally, including seasonal migrations to a known spawning site. The research demonstrates the potential for successful release and natural behavior adoption of captive indigenous fish.