L5 Pfiefer - Managing Animals in Captivity

Question 1

What is ex-situ conservation?

Answer 1

3 definitions:

1. the process of protecting an endangered species, variety or breed of animal outside of its natural habitat
2. individuals are maintained in artificial conditions, under different selection pressures than those in natural conditions, in a natural habitat
3. maintained in a semi-natural condition where individuals are subject to near natural environments

Question 2

What 4 points are the criteria to make the decision to start a captive breeding program?

Answer 2

1. the in-situ population is declining despite action
2. it is near the minimum viable population
3. the population is only living outside of protected areas
4. saving extinct in the wild species (EW)

Question 3

Give 2 examples of breeding programs in zoos or wildlife reserves

Answer 3

1. ZSL Amur Leopard Europe

2. Rock Wallaby reintroduction in Australia

Question 4

Population size < MVP

If you had 100 simulated projections, what would it mean if N (number of species) is 0 in 10.100 simulations?

Answer 4

population has a 90% chance of persisting for 100 years

Question 5

GIve 3 examples of where ex-situ conservation is saving EW species

Answer 5

1. The eastern Sumatra rhino - common in the 1990s not only 3 left in captivity
2. Pere David’s Deer - hunted to extinction in china, breed successfully in captivity
3. The Guam kingfisher

Question 6

What are the 3 roles of zoos?

Answer 6

1. Education
2. fund and carry out research and have extensive veterinary knowledge
3. keep key species that are at risk of extinction alive

Question 7

What are the 2 drawbacks zoos face with conservation

Answer 7

1. Species choice
   - it is difficult to choose which species to concentrate on. Most zoos concentrate on charismatic large mammals as they generate the most income
2. Conservation effect of captive breeding is limited due to:
   - limited resources
   - problems of husbandry
   - domestication - genetic drift and adaptation
   - disease- enhanced susceptibility to disease

Zoos should concentrate on breeding programs for taxa not threatened by irreversible habitat loss to allow successful re-introduction, but they don’t

Question 8

What guidelines should be followed for captive breeding?

Answer 8

1. Focus on groups that breed rapidly and at a low cost
   - invertebrates, amphibians reptiles, bats
   - this increases cost-effectiveness, diversity and improves animals welfare
2. Avoid large cetaceans
3. body mass, social behaviour, diet
4. probability of success when released
5. species indigenous to region

Question 9

What is EAZA and what do they do?

Answer 9

The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria

Members have established Taxon Advisory Groups for all the different species of animals kept in zoos and aquariums.. They develop regional collection plants that:

• = describe which species are recommended to be kept, why, and how they should be managed
• identify what species need to be managed in European Endangered species programme’s, and European studbooks

Question 10

What is EEP and what do they do?

Answer 10

European Endangered species Program

• most intensive type of management for a kept species
• each EEP coordinator, which is assisted by a species committee
• the coordinator collects information on the status of all the animals of the species across zoos, produces a studbook and produces a plan for the future
• with the species committee, recommendations are made each year on which animals should breed or not breed

Question 11

Describe a 5 step decision making process to decide if ex situ management is appropriate

Answer 11

1. compile a status review of the species including threat analysis
2. define the roles that ex situ management can play in the overall conservation of the species
3. determine the characteristics and dimensions of the ex situ population needed
4. define the resources and expertise needed
5. make a decision that is informed and transparent