Ex-situ conservation and Zoo biology Flashcards

Question

Issue - adaptation to captive environment

Answer 1

- can be physiological or behavioural - e.g. large white butterflies become heavier with smaller wings - e.g. old field mice become less responsive to predators - e.g. captive golden lion tamarins have poor foraging skills

Answer 2

Ex-situ can exert natural selection on captive populations, cause genetic adaptation to artificial environments - reduce rates of survival and reproduction when introduced to wild Lewis and Thomas (2001) - example of maladaptive traits related to dispersal and reproduction developing in a culture of the large white (or cabbage) butterfly, Pieris brassicae (L.) - held captive for 100-150 generations - captive individuals = heavier and smaller wings w/ lower wing aspect ratios than wild counterparts - would make it more difficult for butterflies to fly, disperse, and evade predators if in wild - this can affect vertebrates and invertebrates that reared in ex-situ conservation programs, decreasing likelihood that the species re-established in wild

Answer 3

- captive breeding generate changes in animal behaviour - maladaptive when individuals reintroduced to wild - animals raised in captivity = less capable of hunting, foraging for food, less able to avoid predators in wild -> lead to starvation and death - maladaptation = most common in social animals, such as primates, teach their offspring what to do, and what not to do, to survive - e.g. captive-raised golden lion tamarins often die after being released in wild because haven't learned to climb or forage for food -> leads to continuing population declines, despite reintroduction - species unable to produce viable offspring - released animals = display more risk-taking behaviour - e.g. salmon bred in captivity fail to show behaviours needed to avoid predators, and they experience higher mortality than wild counterparts - H/E salmon reared in environment enriched with natural predators showed less risk-taking behaviours and were more likely to survive - providing appropriate training for captive animals may be needed before they are released to wild

Answer 4

If genetic: - minimise numebr of generations in captivity - use sperm atc from wild populations (can freeze gametes) If developmental: - environmental enrichment / naturalistic rearing conditions - behavioural training (from humans or wild-caught individuals) also pre-release testing - only release those most likely to survive

Answer 5

- born in wild - learn survival behaviours, e.g. forage/hunt, what to eat, avoid predators, how to interact socially w/ same species - H/E raised in captivity - not learn search for natural food items, not learn antipredator behaviours, and their social behaviours often distorted and detrimental to survival - captive raised mammals and birds require extensive training before and after their release into the wild e.g. captive-bred California condor hatchlings (Gymnogyps californianus) - unable to learn normal social bonds w/ other condors - had imprinted on human keepers - newly hatched condors are fed with condor puppets and kept from seeing human visitors so learn to identify with own species than foster species or human - H/E with training, when released in wild in protected areas, often congregated around buildings, causing damage and frightening people - break association, condors now captive-reared in enclosed outdoor areas w/o buildings e.g. Salmon bred in captivity - fail to show behaviours needed to avoid predators - experience higher mortality than wild salmon - H/E reared in environment enriched with natural food and predators - showed less risk-taking behaviours + more likely to survive

Answer 6

- large mammals (e.g. elephants, rhinos), ex-situ conservation = 50x more expensive than in-situ conservation of same population size - more cost effective for smaller animals + plants - large animals in zoos generate revenue

Answer 7

- ex-situ programs = expensive - cost of maintaining large mammals (e.g. African elephants and black Rhinos) = 50x more cost of protecting same population in national parks - lack continuity in funding and subject to political instabilities and shifting priorities of funding agencies and organisations - high cost + instability = limit effectiveness of ex-situ facilities as single, L-T strategy for conservation - H/E smaller animals + plant species - less expensive - when habitat preservation and management is prohibitively expensive, ex-situ conservation = more effective than attempting to sustain wild population

Answer 8

re-establish population into original habitat/range where species no longer occurs

Answer 9

augmentation of an endangered population to increase its size and/or genetic diversity

Answer 10

low e.g. ~ 25% for fish in USA can increase by 'soft release' - providing care during acclimatization and under harsh conditions - and behavioural training and enrichment - lots of case studies are published by IUCN

Answer 11

approx 22,000 species in zoos and aquariums, represent 1.8% of global diversity - represent 4-25% of species of concern, depending on taxonomic group threatened plants in botanical gardens - Botanical gardens hold representatives of 30% of all plant species and 59% of all genera

Answer 12

measure welfare

Answer 13

- what is normal behaviour? - what is 'bored' vs rest? - dangers of anthropomorphising - body language

Answer 14

compare captive to wild BUT: - wild data not available for many species - behaviour in wild can vary within and between populations - not all differences indicate poor welfare in captivity (e.g. absence of anti-predator behaviour) can compare different rearing conditions can get an idea of behaviour based on ecology & natural history

Answer 15

repetitive behaviour with no goal e.g. pacing, rocking gnawing/licking self-mutation aggression, infanticide & cannibalism

Answer 16

animals with large home-range sizes are more prone to stereotyping and have high infant mortality rates

Answer 17

environmental enrichment: - feeding - sensory - environmental substantially reduces stereotyping reduces aggression promoted fitness may lose novelty over time

Answer 18

- for shows & education - for veterinary care - for husbandry (e.g. relocation) can be enriching educational value varies

Answer 19

- feeding by visitors - induce excessive begging behaviour - imitation of calls / behaviours cause stress - many species don't like eye contact may find interaction enriching

Answer 20

- need to think about viewpoints into enclosures - screening & positioning - out of sight areas - keepers - consider how animals communication (e.g. using chimpanzee gestures increased positive behaviours)

Answer 21

important role in education, research and conservation BUT must work to high standards & be highly regulated some species better suited to captivity than others enrichment & behavioural assessments used to improve welfare ex-situ conservation effective and save species from extinction best used in combination with in-situ conservation

Answer 22

- worldwide symbol of wildlife conservation for > half a century - finally paying off - no longer endangered, upgraded 2016 by IUCN from "endangered" to "vulnerable" - took decades w/ in situ and ex situ conservation efforts to save from extinction - live - high forests in mountains in central China - subsist on bamboo - problems began decades ago w/ agricultural expansion and deforestation of mountain habitat -> lead to substantial habitat loss for species - roads and human settlements fragmented few remaining habitats - difficult for pandas to migrate for search of bamboo - target of poaching - skin and furs - reclusive nature of animals made difficult to get accurate censuses - H/E estimate 1980s = fewer than 1000 pandas alive, 1988 = species = endangered by IUCN - population in wild rising - for 2 decades, up to 1864 animals during 2014 national census - success attributed to several factors: 1. Chinese government = quick to protect habitat - logging ban (1988) = most remaining habitat off-limits to commercial logging; established 67 giant panda reserves for in situ conservation 2. new policies - reduce poaching - 1983 - Chinese government, wildlife protection laws, increased protections for giant panda; 1984 - species in Appendix I of CITES - prohibited trade of species or its products internationally 3. Chinese government - ex-situ population of giant pandas - including captive-breeding program - initial success rate (breeding program) = low - little known on reproductive biology of adults - limited number of successful matings - poor understanding of nutritional needs and care of newborn cubs led to high infant mortality - study of captive population biology and increased use of artificial insemination - improved success - TODAY - Wolong Giant Panda Center (in Sichuan Province, China) produces > 24 cubs a year, some released to wild - AND maintain live plants and animals, collect samples of sperm, eggs, seeds, or DNA from organisms + store them in gene or seed back to ensure species' gametic and somatic tissues reserved - allows biomedical technologies to improve success of captive-breeding programs (e.g. artificial insemination) and provide opportunities for use of new technologies to help resurrect species from extinction (e.g. cloning) - Collections from wild that are maintained in artificial environments under human supervision can serve as S-T buffers against extinction and as material for captive-breeding programs that allow species and their genes to be reintroduced to the wild This species = example where numerous elements from both in situ and ex situ conservation were used to save the species from extinction

Answer 23

1. outreach and education activities at ex situ facilities can raise public awareness in ways that encourage in situ conservation 2. some revenues generated at ex situ facilities are used to fund in situ conservation 3. captive-bred individuals offer the opportunity for research, reintroductions, and reinforcements that can improve the success of in situ conservation efforts 4. seed banks are used to restore native populations of plants

Ex-situ conservation and Zoo biology Flashcards

(47 cards)