Ep. 595 – Game-Farm Genes Affect Mallard Movements and Behavior – Evidence from the Great Lakes

Much has been said about increasing prevalence of game-farm genes in mallard populations, but evidence has been scarce on whether these genes produce differences in behavior and demography…until now. Pivotal research by Dr. Ben Luukkonen reveals that game-farm hybrids differ from wild mallards in their movements, migration, habitat use, and nest incubation. The conclusion? Game-farm hybrids are different, and not in a good way. In this episode, Dr. Luukkonen and Dr. John Coluccy share details of these results and much more. What are harvest rates of Great Lakes mallards, and what role has hunting played in the decline, if any? Could the loss of over 3 million acres of CRP from this landscape be partly to blame? And how do these results affect our conservation efforts?

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