The role of zoos in conservation Taking captive breeding techniques into the field Historical tragedies... First endangered species conference 1972, published 1975 Full of hope and optimism. Published 1976 Zoos as “Arks”, conservation, research, captive breeding and reintroduction Work on wild and captive populations Training to develop international capacity in animal management. On the road to recovery... and historical success stories There is a limit to extent we can manage species in captivity Too many species not enough room. Species change in captivity. Aldo Leopold • Wild Turkeys become increasingly docile with each generation in captivity • Reduction in the size of Brain and Adrenals, Pituitary and Thyroid glands • Captive raised birds have very poor survival in wild. What happens to captive populations? • Most captive populations die out • Inbreeding common • Captive populations usually lose genetic variation • Changes start to occur in captive populations within ten generations • Sub-specific mixing • Specific mixing • Selection for docility • Selection for promiscuity • Usually select for large, colourful, well marked animals • Within 100 generations thoroughly domesticated, changes largely irreversible. Thinking out of the cage • Greater integration between work in captivity and the wild • Fluid movement of species between wild and captivity. © Google “We might abandon the Mauritius kestrel to its all-but-inevitable fate, and utilise the funds to proffer stronger support for any of the hundreds of threatened bird species that are more likely to survive.” Norman Myers, The Sinking Ark, 1979 p.43. • Eggs harvested from wild nests to encourage double clutching • Hand-reared young used to establish captive population • 333 birds reintroduced • Supported with nest-boxes • 350-400 birds 2017. * 9 or 10 wild birds in 1990 Predicted extinction by 2001 Bred in captivity 294 birds released Supported with supplemental feeding and predator control 400 free-living birds 2017. • All nests monitored • Failing chicks removed for hand rearing and to establish captive population • 139 captive reared/bred birds released • C. 90% first year survival • Supported post-release with supplemental food and nest boxes • >750 birds 2019. Approach has been to improve survival and productivity by mitigating limiting factors Understanding limiting factors • Ultimate causes of population limitation: • Food • Predators/competitors • Disease • Breeding sites Causes of population decline and corrective management PROBLEM SOLUTION Food shortage Supplementary feeding Predators and competitors Predator and competitor control Disease Disease control Shortage of breeding sites Create breeding sites, nest boxes Populations of kestrel, pigeon and parakeet 700 600 500 400 300 Number Number of birds 200 100 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Year Red List Index of species survival 17 target species: 8 underwent improvement in Red List category due to conservation Young et al. (2014) Biol. Cons. 180: 84-96 Red List Index of species survival Drove a 67% increase in the value of the Durrell Red List Index between 1988 and 2012 Young et al. (2014) Biol. Cons. 180: 84-96 Red List Index of species survival Contrasts with a 23% decline in a counterfactual RLI showing projected trends if conservation had been withdrawn in 1988 Young et al. (2014) Biol. Cons. 180: 84-96 Four Stages of Species Restoration • Know your species • Understand Limiting Factors • Population Management (addressing controlling factors) • Intensive Management (critically endangered species) • Monitoring and research. Know your species • Life history • Ecology • Population size • Distribution. Understand rarity? • Collect data • What is limiting survival and productivity? • Food • Predators and competitors • Disease • Breeding sites Intensive Care • Critically endangered species – every individual counts • Captive breeding, reintroductions and translocations • Close guarding Population management • Supplemental feeding • Predator control / exclusion • Disease control • Improve nest sites • Habitat protection and restoration. Monitoring and Research • Survival and productivity • Distribution and numbers • Project evaluation Mauritius Kestrel Restoration 1000 900 800 700 600 500 Number 400 300 200 100 0 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year 1) __.............................................................. Know your species 2) …….__________.......................................... Understand causes of decline 3) _____________ Intensive management 4) …………….________________........................... Population management 5) ………………………………………………….._________________ Evaluation and population research Take home messages • No quick fixes • Possible to restore even very small populations. • Need for indefinite management for some species • Free-living populations still under natural selection and fulfil an ecological role • Need to develop the techniques for applied population management of Critically Endangered species • Species management can drive habitat restoration The Asian Songbird Crisis and the IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group Bristol Zoological Society Bird Conservation Symposium 3rd September 2019 Andrew Owen Vice-Chair Conservation Breeding & Reintroduction IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group The Greater Sunda region • Home to more than 850 bird species, and globally recognised as a biodiversity hotspot with high levels of endemism • Illegal and unsustainable trade is pushing many bird species towards extinction, although little is being done to prevent it • At present, conservation efforts are hampered by a lack of effective regulation, monitoring and enforcement Songbird-keeping as a pastime is firmly entrenched in local culture and tradition in many regions of Southeast Asia Cage bird trade in Southeast Asia is having a severe effect on Songbird populations with an ever increasing number of species put at risk and facing global extinction As Indonesia’s birds are wiped out, the demand turns to other countries • Many Chinese species are appearing in Indonesian markets • Leafbirds, Shamas and Magpie-Robins are smuggled in their thousands from mainland SE Asia Illegal Bird Trade is on our doorstep too - Threatened Asian Songbirds are being smuggled into Europe Asian Songbird Crisis Summits Jurong Bird Park, Singapore September 2015 February 2017 March 2019 Asian Songbird Crisis Summit- Singapore 2015 Identified 5 Key Areas/Themes • Field Research • Genetic Research • Conservation-Breeding and Reintroduction • Trade and Legislation • Education and Community Engagement IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group Gained Approval in May 2017 Research: Field surveys to locate Java’s rarest Songbirds • There is an acute lack of field data on bird species affected by the Asian Songbird Crisis • This project will assess the distribution and abundance of key songbird species across the mountains of West and Central Java • We will also survey other taxa such as primates, ground-dwelling mammals, and some frogs • Information will feed into efforts to protect key species, and to support development of new Protected Areas Gabby Salazar https://www.gabbysalazar.com 20 mountains will be surveyed over 24 months Surveys have started on some of Java’s Mountains • Surveys have now been completed on the first mountain in Central Java, and surveys on the suite of mountains in West Java are underway • At each site, 14 audio recorders are placed for 3 days (recording 24 hours), 20 camera traps for 3 days, and about 10 transects are walked (5-10 km) whilst recording birds both visually and with recorders • Data on species presence/relative abundance will come from occupancy from audio recorders, encounter rates from camera traps, consolidated species list per site, encounter rates from transects Gabby Salazar https://www.gabbysalazar.com Bali Myna & Black-winged Myna Ecology Tom Squires PhD The aim of this study is to assess the current status and ecology of the reintroduced Bali Myna and its long term viability Objectives: 1. Assess Bali Myna distribution and population size at Bali Barat National Park 2. Examine key aspects of Bali Myna ecology, including habitat use, feeding preferences, and movement 3. Estimate the long-term viability of the Bali Myna population • park-wide park-wide – assessment Habitat Behavioural sampling sampling Behavioural range expansion expansion range – movements Examine Measure vital rates, e.g. survival survival e.g. rates, vital Measure • Mark-resight surveys (colour-ringing) (colour-ringing) surveys Mark-resight locations, dates, numbers released released numbers dates, locations, National Park and its staff staff its and Park National • Document history of Bali Myna reintroduction, with help of of help with reintroduction, Myna Bali of history Document Myna Myna • Support Indonesian students/ecologists to conduct studies of Bali Bali of studies conduct to students/ecologists Indonesian Support determine the key ecological needs of the species species the of needs ecological key the determine Mynas in BBNP using standard radio-telemetry tracking to to tracking radio-telemetry standard using BBNP in Mynas • Introduce a robust system of monitoring and studying released Bali Bali released studying and monitoring of system robust a Introduce input and agreement from multiple stakeholders stakeholders multiple from agreement and input • Devise robust pre-release, release, and post-release protocols with with protocols post-release