Reintroduction : A tool for Conservation

ABSTRACT

Recent studies show that a huge imbalance in the ecosystem and disturbance in the natural
habitat has become one of the major issues for the sustainability of cleaner and greener
environment. This manuscript mainly emphasizes on the various methodologies and ways to
introduce endangered and extinct species in the natural habitat adding to biodiversity and
keeping the future generations to experience the native species back to the natural habitat. As per
the ecologists and conservationists re-introduction is one of the processes so that the native
species can be brought back into their natural ecosystem to ‘re-establish’ the species.
Reintroduction of endangered species is one of the important ecological conservation tool
through which natural species that were once extinct in the wild or have become critically
endangered are added to the biodiversity and giving a balance to the ecosystem. This tool is
very essential as it is applicable to combat the present huge loss and high imbalance of
biodiversity by using re-introduction of certain species as a responsible way for the management
and restoration of biodiversity in natural ways. By efficiently developing various effective inter-
disciplinary scientific data and information, different technical methodologies, policies, and
practices to establish endangered populations in their natural habitats so as to restore the
ecological balance. As the number of animal and plant species are becoming extinct or even rare
in the wild has become an emerging problem, there is an urgent need for reintroduction due to
the increased demand from re-introduction practitioners, the global conservation community and
to increase in re-introduction projects worldwide. To re-establish existing wild populations, a
species can be re-introduced into a specific given area, either by the translocation of the species
from existing wild populations, or either by re-introducing captive-bred animals or artificially.
The species reintroduction should emphasize more on to establish a self-sustaining, healthy
and genetically diverse population to an area where it has been extirpated, or to augment an
existing population. Animal or plant species that may be eligible for reintroduction are
typically threatened or endangered in the wild.
Keywords: Habitat, ecological conservation, Biodiversity, extinct or endangered species.

Introduction

Reintroductions can be considered as one of the efficient and emerging forms of plant and wild
life conservation management and restoration. Species reintroduction is a well planned and
intentional release of a particular species which is extinct or endangered into the wild, from
captivity or other areas where the organism is capable of survival naturally. The aim of species
reintroduction is to establish a healthy, genetically diverse, self-sustaining population to an area
where it has been extirpated, or to augment an existing population. Species which are eligible for
reintroduction are either extremely threatened or endangered in the wild. It can be well
understood by this example; wolves are being reintroduced into a wild area to curb
an overpopulation of deer. Because reintroduction may involve returning of the native species to
localities where they had been extirpated, sometimes this can prefer the term "reestablishment".
However, they have a mixed record of successes and failures, and reviews highlight that many
programmes are poorly planned or implemented. . To monitor the various difficulties and
planning , the IUCN’s Species Survival Commissions Reintroduction Specialist Group (IUCN
RSG) was formed in 1988, and the first set of guidelines for reintroductions was published in
1998 (IUCN, 1998) and these guidelines have been highly successful and are widely used in
many of the programmes. In part, this is unsurprising given the necessarily broad statements
made in the guidelines (IUCN, 2013). Besides the guidelines, various methods continue to
evolve as new informative ways and tools become available [1-5]. From a management
perspective, reintroduction programmes are fundamentally sequences of decisions: therefore,
poor planning, implementation and monitoring may simply reflect a failure to approach these
decisions effectively. A more strategic and planned approach to decision-making with periodic
management in reintroductions may help overcome these problems and lead to better decisions
and, ideally, outcomes will be more progressive. To address these challenges and obstructions,
the Ecological Society of America suggested certain variations and amendments in macro scale
ecological management decisions through modern scientific ways. In the present scenario of the
biodiversity crisis, translocations, restorations and particularly reintroductions of endangered
species are increasing more in number and are highly significant. It is time for ecologists,
environmentalists, conservators and wildlife managers to collaborate on these different
opportunities for large-scale studies.
 Developed and developing urban areas are mostly modified landscapes that can support
significant biodiversity, including endangered and extinct species, although the native species are
usually present at low population densities and many native species will be absent. The urban
biodiversity could be increased by supporting the existing biodiversity by improving the habitat
quality and efficiently designed and managed public and private green spaces. A range of various
network‐based mathematical methods has been developed to make quantitative predictions of
how communities will respond to management interventions. These methods are based on the
limited knowledge of which species interact with each other and in what way. Various
mathematical methods are developed that combine time-series data of multiple species with
knowledge of species interactions and was applied to proposed reintroductions at Booderee
National Park in Australia [6-8]. Large fluctuations were seen in species abundances at Booderee
National Park in recent history, following intense feral fox (Vulpes vulpes) control, including the
local extinction of the greater glider (Petauroides volans). These fluctuations can provide us the
valuable information about the system isn't readily obtained from a stable system, and we use
them to inform models that we then use to predict potential outcomes of eastern quoll (Dasyurus
viverrinus) and long‐nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) reintroductions.

Criteria of Reintroduction

The conservation of the natural habitat and ecosystems, extinct and endangered species of flora
fauna is of highest priority for the environmental sustainability. A solution to this global issue
could be reintroduction or translocation of certain extinct species so as to keep up with
maintaining ecological balance. To introduce and initiate any reintroduction programme, there
are many factors which should be taken into consideration and needs to be properly executed in a
well panned and with proper management so that the programme to be run with the maximum
chances of success. These include factors related to:

o Species of the endangered plant or animal,

o The habitat/ecosystem,
o Socio-political factors,
o Proper execution , management of the programme,
o Funding/support.
For any programme to be designed and developed, a detailed study should be conducted for its
proper execution. The factors should be reconsidered for the efficient implementation of the
programmes for the constructive and better results.

The IUCN 1998 Guidelines for Reintroductions says that any re-introduction should be aimed to
establish a viable, free-ranging population in the wild, of a species, subspecies or race, which has
become highly threatened or endangered, or extirpated. Applying these guidelines it should be
re-introduced within the species related to the original natural habitat and should need minimal
management and with efficient implementation [9-12].

The objectives may include any one or combination of:

 Should enhance the long-term survival of the species;

 Re-establishment of a keystone species in an ecosystem;
 Maintenance and/or restoration of the natural biodiversity;
 With the long-term benefits to the local and/or national economy;
 To promote conservation awareness.

Methods of Re-introduction

There are various ways to approach for the species re-introduction, but the planning of the
implementation of the programe should mainly depend upon the biology of the species. Species
reintroduction can be done whether to source individuals in situ, from wild populations, or ex
situ, from a zoo or a botanical garden.

In situ sourcing

The process of in situ sourcing is mainly involved with the principle of moving of the individuals
from an existing population to a new site where the species was formerly extirpated. Many of the
populations should be sourced by in situ to minimize many risk factors which are associated with
reintroducing organisms from captive populations to the wild. By increasing the chances of
survival and reproduction of the reintroduced populations which also resemble genetically and
ecologically with the original species, the risk factors associated with the reintroduction can be
highly reduced. Methodologies must have the best sourcing of the species from populations with
similar environmental conditions to the reintroduction site. This will enhance the possibilities
that reintroduced species are very well adapted to the habitat of the reintroduction site and
thereby the risk of failure of the programmes is highly reduced [13-16]. For in situ sourcing, the
life stage of the organisms for collection, transportation, and reintroduction is to be considered.
For example, with plants, to make the highest chances of surviving translocation it is mostly safe
and efficient to transport them as seeds for in situ sourcing.

Ex situ sourcing

This kind of sourcing is applicable when in situ collection of individuals is not feasible, like for
rare and endangered species only few individuals are existing in the wild, for them ex
situ collection is possible. Ex situ collection methods includes collection and preservation of
species that have high rate of potential for reintroduction. For example: Preservation
includes seed banks with germplasms, sperm and egg banks, cryopreservation, and tissue
culture. Tissue culture and cryopreservation techniques have only been preferred for a few of the
species. Methods which allow for storage of a high numbers of individuals also broaden the
genetic diversity. Depending upon the nature of stored materials some has long lifespan in
storage, but some species do lose viability when stored in the form of seed [16-17].

Success and Failures

Reintroduction biology is an upcoming stream, a young discipline and continues to be in a

progressive mode in the future. This conservation tool doesn’t has any well defined, strict and
accepted regulations, but the criteria which is widely referred to assess the conservation status of
endangered taxis, such as the IUCN Red List criteria. The IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist
Group & Environment Agency, in their 2011 Global 184 case studies were reported on a range
of species which included invertebrates and
vertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and plants. Different types of successful
reintroduction programs should yield viable and self-sustainable populations in Re-introduction
perspectives, compiled different reintroduction case studies from around the world. A
programme assessment from all different case studies includes project summary, goals, success
indicators, major problems faced, important lessons learned, and success of project with reasons
[18-21]. Data analysis from the Center for Plant Conservation International Reintroduction
Registry was found that, for the 49 cases where data were available, 92% of the reintroduced
plant populations survival rate was only for two years. The Siberian tiger population has now
become the largest un-fragmented tiger population in the world. The tiger population has been
rebounded from 40 individuals in the 1940s to near about 500 in 2007. Still, a high proportion of
translocations and reintroductions have not been successful in establishing viable
populations. Another case study in China reintroduction of captive Giant Pandas have had mixed
results were observed [22-23]. The initial pandas released from captivity all died quickly after
reintroduction. At present they have improved their ability to reintroduce pandas; concern still
remains over how well they captive bred pandas will fare with their wild relative. In one of the
case study head-starting tadpoles were trialed to initiate the programme for the reintroduction of
the northern clad of the pool frog Pelophylax lessonae to England. Ten spawn clumps (approx.
1228 eggs) were removed from the reintroduction site and hatched under captive and optimum
growth conditions. Overall survival to the free-swimming tadpole stage was approximately 50%.
Survival rates thereafter were increased and high; Releasing head-started tadpoles substantially
increased by metamorphic productivity at the reintroduction site 97% for tadpoles reared indoors
and 81% for tadpoles grown for part of the larval period outdoors in artificial ponds. The head-
starting methodology is labour intensive method but provides an approach that could be used in
secondary reintroductions of this species. It therefore has more advantages for further
development for its potential contribution to the reintroduction of the northern pool frog to
England [24-25].

Re- Introduction Specialist Group (RSG)

This group is a network of environmentalists, ecologists, conservators, specialists whose aim is

to combat the persistent and massive loss of biodiversity by using the concept of re-introductions
and its related different methodologies as a responsible tool for the management, restoration and
conservation of biodiversity. This is done by actively developing and promoting well planned
sound inter-disciplinary scientific information, policy, and practice to establish viable wild
populations in their natural habitats. The role of the RSG is to promote the re-establishment of
viable and extinct populations in the wild of animals and plants. Because of the increased
demand from re-introduction practitioners, the global conservation community and increase in
re-introduction projects worldwide, there was an urgent need of this kind of group.

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