Lecture 7 Flashcards
How many zoos and aquaria in the world?
10,000
Who are WAZA?
World Association of Zoos and Aquaria
Responsible for managing zoo regulations
5 roles of zoos
- Raise money
- Education
- “Arks”
- Boost wild populations
- Captive breeding program
Role of zoos 1: Raising money
- Bronx Zoo’s Congo gorilla forest: opened in 1999, $3 million+ gone towards conservation projects in Africa
- Minnesota zoo: adopt a park program, protects Sumatran and Javan rhinos
- WAZA: $350 million a year on in-situ projects
Criticisms of using zoos to raise money
- ‘Good zoos’ (proactive and benevolent) in minority
- $billions spent on hi-tech exhibits and marketing
- Some spend nothing on conservation
Role of zoos 2: education
- 600 million visitors a year worldwide (WAZA, 2006)
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): world leader in designing innovative exhibits and environmental programs
Criticism of using zoos for education
Effectiveness highly debated
Evidence for or against is sparse
Zoos don’t always inspire the public
Role of zoos 3: zoos as ‘Arks’
Noah’s Ark Philosophy:
- Animals bred in captivity until threats in wild are reduced
- Insurance policy against extinction
Criticisms of zoos as Arks
- Only 5% of species in UK zoos were listed as endangered in 2000
- Only 15% of threatened species (Conde et al., 2011)
- Threatened species held are below 50/500 ratio
Example of zoos draining wild populations
Used to be huge trade in wild caught animals to stock zoos
In Whale Shark Aquarium, China, there are 5 whale sharks of unknown origin
Most snow leopards captive bred now rather than caught
Cuaron, 2005 wrote about this
Role of zoos 4:boosting wild populations
- Bali starlings and Golden lion tamarins used to reinforce wild populations
- Emergency action
- Many species aren’t fit to be returned to the wild
Role of zoos 5: captive breeding
Breeding plants or animals which have become rare in the wild, in controlled environments
Reintroduction programs:
-To increase a sizeable, stable and healthy population in order to avoid extinction
-To reintroduce species back into their natural habitat
What kind of animals are wanted for reintroduction programmes?
- Best sexual condition
- Most likely to breed
- Least selective of their partners
Pitfalls with breeding programmes
- Records can be poor
- Zoos handrails young
Animals bred in zoos tend to be:
- Least disturbed by human proximity and transplantation
- Least exacting in their environmental requirements
- Least disturbed by separation from their previous partners
- Least dependent on social facilitation
- Least discriminating in mate choice
- Most stimulating to sexual partners
Features of successful reintroductions
- Ran for twice as long as other reintroductions
- Used over twice as many animals
- Translocating wild animals over captive bred
Golden lion tamarin reintroduction
1960: almost went extinct in wild, c600 individuals, captive populations poor
1970s: captive population grew, Poco dad Antas Biological reserve created, c100-200 wild individuals
1980s: reintroduction program - GLTCP aimee to increase numbers and genetic diversity of wild population. 30 zoos contributed 146 captive tamarins
First reintroductions of golden lion tamarins
Ex-situ
Too scared to leave box
Did not recognise poisonous snakes/plants
Little agility
Later reintroduction of golden lion tamarins
In-situ
Released into large cages in forest first
Golden lion tamarins 21 years since reintroduction
589 tamarins in 87 groups
In 2003 down-listed by IUCN to Endangered after 30 years conservation effort
Involvement of local land owners important
Second golden lion tamarins program: translocation
- Threatened groups in isolated fragments rescued and translocated
- Brazil’s União Biological RESERVE
- Translocation of 47 individuals in 6 groups
Problems with golden lion tamarin reintroductions
- Limited further habitat available
- Inbreeding depression
- Expensive
Black-footed ferrets and captive breeding
- In 1967 placed on Endangered species list, soon declared extinct
- Small population found in Wyoming
- In 1987 18 individuals caught and placed in captive breeding program
- Reintroductions started in 1991 after only a few generations, early attempts unsuccessful
- Now more in wild (300) than captivity
- Still Endangered
Pygmy hogs and captive breeding
Manas National Park, India
Threats to hogs are habitat loss and degradation
Durrell zoo took in 16 for captive breeding program, ecosystem rebuilding also took place
1990s two captive breeding centres
Now 100ish individuals
Who established and runs captive breeding programmes in Mauritius?
Carl Jones
1979
Echo parakeet: how was it saved from extinction?
1986: 8-12 known birds
1987: Mauritius Wildlife Foundation set up captive breeding program: cages surrounded by wild parakeets, integrated with wild birds, supplementary fed birds after release, protected nests from rats and monkeys
1999: captive breeding no longer required
2007: down listed to Endangered
2015: over 650
How was the Mauritius Kestrel saved from extinction?
1974: down to one breeding pair (4 birds)
Decline due to pesticides
Carl Jones (1979): nest boxes that excluded monkeys, double clutching, supplementary feeding, chick fostering
1983-93: 333 kestrels reared
1/3 of released birds captive bred
Key reasons for success of kestrel breeding program?
- Only short captive period
- Released birds supported
- Close monitoring of successes and failures
- Studied the birds so knew the problem
Limitations of kestrel breeding program?
- There is only enough habitat for 50-150 more
2. Labour-intensive
Criticism of captive breeding
Snyder et al. 1996
- Behaviour modifications in captivity
- Small captive populations
- Only 15% of threatened species kept in zoos
- High failure rate
- Lack of involvement from local communities
- Disease outbreaks
- Costly
Future of zoos
- Hold more threatened and endangered species
- Intensify efforts and prioritise conservation
- Become more ecosystem based
- Build partnerships
