IUCN IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. IUCN works on biodiversity, climate change, energy, human livelihoods and greening the world economy by supporting scientific research, managing field projects all over the world, and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 60 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) The SSC is a science-based network of close to 8,000 volunteer experts from almost every country of the world, all working together towards achieving the vision of, “A world that values and conserves present levels of biodiversity.” Environment Agency - ABU DHABI (EAD) The EAD was established in 1996 to preserve Abu Dhabi’s natural heritage, protect our future, and raise awareness about environmental issues. EAD is Abu Dhabi’s environmental regulator and advises the government on environmental policy. It works to create sustainable communities, and protect and conserve wildlife and natural resources. EAD also works to ensure integrated and sustainable water resources management, and to ensure clean air and minimize climate change and its impacts. Denver Zoological Foundation (DZF) The DZF is a non-profit organization whose mission is to “secure a better world for animals through human understanding.” DZF oversees Denver Zoo and conducts conservation education and biological conservation programs at the zoo, in the greater Denver area, and worldwide. Over 3,800 animals representing more than 650 species call Denver Zoo home. A member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), Denver Zoo’s accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) assures the highest standards of animal care. A leader in environmental action, Denver Zoo was the first U.S. zoo to receive ISO 14001 sustainability certification for its entire facility and operations and in 2011 was voted the greenest zoo in the country. The ISO 14001 international certification ensures the zoo attains the highest environmental standards. Since 1994, Denver Zoo has participated in well over 550 conservation projects in 55 countries. In 2011 alone, Denver Zoo participated in 70 projects in 20 countries and spent well over US$ 1 million to support wildlife conservation in the field. Re-introduction Specialist Group (RSG) The RSG is a network of specialists whose aim is to combat the ongoing and massive loss of biodiversity by using re-introductions as a responsible tool for the management and restoration of biodiversity. It does this by actively developing and promoting sound inter-disciplinary scientific information, policy, and practice to establish viable wild populations in their natural habitats. i ii The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN or any of the funding organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN. Published by: IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group & Environment Agency-ABU DHABI Copyright: © 2011 International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Citation: Soorae, P. S. (ed.) (2011). Global Re-introduction Perspectives: 2011. More case studies from around the globe. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group and Abu Dhabi, UAE: Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi. xiv + 250 pp. ISBN: 978-2-8317-1432-5 Cover photo: Clockwise starting from top-left: i. Mountain yellow-legged frog © Adam Backlin ii. American alligator © Ruth Elsey iii. Dwarf eelgrass © Laura Govers, RU Nijmegen iv. Mangrove finch © Michael Dvorak BirdLife Austria v. Berg-Breede whitefish © N. Dean Impson vi. Zanzibar red colobus monkey © Tom Butynski & Yvonne de Jong Cover design & layout by: Pritpal S. Soorae, IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group Produced by: IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group & Environment Agency-ABU DHABI Download at: www.iucnsscrsg.org iii iv Global Re-introduction Perspectives: 2011 More case studies from around the globe Edited by Pritpal S. Soorae IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group (RSG) v CONTENTS Letter from H. E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, EAD .................................. viii Letter from Richard Reading, DZF .......................................................... ix Letter from Simon Stuart, SSC ............................................................... x Letter from Frédéric Launay, RSG .......................................................... xi Overview and analysis of re-introduction case-studies ........................... xii Invertebrates ......................................................................................... 1 American burying beetle in the USA ........................................................ 1 Mottled grasshopper in the UK ............................................................... 5 Large blue butterfly in the UK .................................................................. 10 Fish ........................................................................................................ 15 Berg-Breede whitefish in South Africa .................................................... 15 North Sea houting in the River Rhine system in Europe ......................... 20 Citico darter in Tennessee, USA ............................................................ 24 Smoky madtom in Tennessee, USA ....................................................... 29 Yellowfin madtom in Tennessee, USA .................................................... 34 Bulltrout in the Clakmas River, Oregon, USA ......................................... 39 Bulltrout in the upper Willamette River basin, Oregon, USA ................... 44 Itasenpara bitterling in Osaka Prefecture, Japan .................................... 49 Ushimotsugo minnow in Gifu Prefecture, Japan ..................................... 54 Striped bitterling in Lake Biwa, Japan ..................................................... 59 Oily bitterling in Northern Mie, Japan ...................................................... 65 Amphibians ........................................................................................... 71 Houston toad in Texas, USA .................................................................. 71 Mountain yellow-legged frog in Southern California, USA ...................... 77 Midwife toad and Iberian frog in Spain .................................................... 81 Chiricahua leopard frog in SW USA ....................................................... 85 Cape Platanna in South Africa ................................................................ 91 Reptiles .................................................................................................. 94 African spurred tortoise in Senegal ......................................................... 94 Translocation of giant tortoises in the Seychelles Islands ....................... 98 Terrapins on Silhouette Island, Seychelles ............................................. 102 vi Hawksbill sea turtles in the UAE ............................................................. 106 St. Croix ground lizard in the U.S. Virgin Islands .................................... 109 Sand lizard in the UK .............................................................................. 116 Turks & Caicos rock iguana in the Long Cay, Turks and Caicos Banks .......................................................................................... 120 American alligators in Louisiana, USA .................................................... 125 Birds ...................................................................................................... 130 Northern bald ibis in Syria ....................................................................... 130 Red-billed choughs in the UK ................................................................. 135 White-winged guan in Peru ..................................................................... 141 Ural owl in Austria ................................................................................... 146 Mangrove finch in the Galapagos Islands ............................................... 151 Mammals ............................................................................................... 157 Black-footed ferret in North America ....................................................... 157 Eurasian beaver in Sweden .................................................................... 165 Zanzibar red colobus on Pemba Island, Tanzania .................................. 168 Mountain gazelle in the Ibex Reserve, Saudi Arabia .............................. 175 Mountain gazelle in western Saudi Arabia .............................................. 180 Sand gazelles in SW Arabia ................................................................... 185 Scimitar-horned oryx in Tunisia .............................................................. 190 Arabian oryx in