Zoos. Helping or hindering conservation?

Jack Pettman 24/08/2022

In situ vs Ex situ
To begin to understand the effects of Zoos and their ex situ conservation counterparts, we
must begin by delving into what in and ex situ conservation actually is, and how they differ.
Ex situ conservation relates to the sampling and storage of diversity away from where it was
collected, whereas in situ relates to the monitoring and management of taxa within their
natural habitat (Engelmann, Engels 2002). So, which one is better or worse and why?
In Situ: Do we let nature run its course?
In situ conservation can take many forms including tagging and tracking, local wildlife
sanctuaries or surveying. While of course the ideal scenario is for threatened species to be
conserved in their natural habitats with a more hands-off approach, commonly this method
simply is not enough. The benefits of in situ conservation are strong, including the
preservation of natural populations and their environment, there is less human
contact/intervention and the opportunity for continued adaption of the species is sustained
(Garner 2021). In situ conservation is the ideal solution to threats on biodiversity, with
minimal human impact and still achieving effective results. However, unfortunately it is not
always that easy.
In situ conservation has some obvious drawbacks, with populations facing the same
problems that forced them onto the brink of extinction. This could be through poaching,
predation, land clearing causing habitat loss or fragmentation. The implementation of
national parks across the world are a prime example of an attempt to preserve biodiversity
through in situ conservation, but how effective are they? South African national parks are
the home of approximately 80% of the global rhino population, and the biodiversity of these
parks attracts millions of tourists annually (Lubbe et al. 2017). In spite of this, rhino poaching
is continuing at a rate where extinction is expected in the next 15 years. How can this be
happening in a protected area? This is not the only example, with similar examples
occurring across Africa as well as in Indonesia where illegal logging in national parks to make
way for palm oil plantations has resulted in huge declines in Orangutan population numbers
due to habitat fragmentation and loss (Nellemann 2007).
So whether it’s due to corrupt governments or just not enough manpower to regulate illegal
actions in national parks, it is clear that the effectiveness of this in situ conservation method
is simply not good enough in some cases. However a different type of in situ project did
have success in Java, Indonesia where a zoo-backed program has revitalised bird
populations of the Black-winged Starling. A founder population composed of individuals
taken from private bird keepers was used to rear over 200 birds in the local Cikananga
Wildlife Center which have then been released back into the wild with more species now
being added to the program (Owen 2014). This shows that populations do not have to be
taken out of their environment to have breeding success, and that in situ local support can
cause conservation breakthroughs. However the national parks show that in situ
conservation cannot solely be the answer to conserving all threatened species.
An adult Rhino lucky to be alive with her horn cut off by Orangutans return to their habitat after it has been
wildlife traders, accompanied by her calf (Earthwatch n.d.) decimated by logging (The Times 2019)

Ex Situ: Is intervention the right option?

Ex situ conservation is commonly seen in the form of zoos and aquariums, where the public
pay to view and learn about different animals. While it sometimes may appear that it is just
a bunch of animals in enclosures, there is a much more important underlying mission. It is
the mission of these institutions to educate and bring awareness to conservation issues
around the world, as well as acknowledge which species are most threatened and
endeavour to establish captive populations to ensure their longevity. There has been a focus
shift of zoos and aquariums in the last few decades towards conservation, and the results of
a survey of over 100 projects linked to zoos and aquariums indicated their contribution has
had appreciable impact to conservation issues around the world (Gusset 2010).
While a lot of good work has been done by ex situ institutions, they are not without their
downsides. It can be very expensive to transport animals between institutions, as well as
house them 24/7 and ensure their habitats are suitable. There is also the challenge of
prioritising different species while trying to co-operate with different institutions that may
have different priorities. Zoos also face the problem of a lack of genetic diversity of
individuals in captivity with species that have limited captive individuals suitable for mating.
They must be very selective with which animals they allow to breed to ensure the genetic
diversity is as large as possible, but the long-term solution is to release back into the wild.
However, an animal that is captive all its life would not be able to survive in the wild,
therefore it is important that a link between ex situ and in situ as is established to ensure
sustainability of populations.
The Orange Bellied Parrot (OBP) is a wonderful example of this link. Listed as Critically
Endangered with a remaining wild population of approximately just 50 individuals, the OBP
was in desperate need of help (Department of Environment 2016). Since the program has
been initiated, the OBP has risen in numbers to over 300 in captivity, with projects now
underway to attempt to re-introduce individuals into the wild. This provides a perfect
example of how ex situ conservation can set up a species to again flourish in its natural
environment through ongoing in situ involvement.
Concluding remarks
To summarise, both in and ex situ conservation are important measures. With some species
in such dire situations, it is important that ex situ conservation is employed to build an
insurance population in captivity. However that is not a long-term solution. It is of great
importance that to restore biodiversity in situ conservation must occur to ensure there is an
environment that can be repopulated by animals bred in zoos and aquariums. Without this
the mission of conservation can not be achieved. Overall, a combined effort from ex situ
establishments to prioritise conservation through fundraising and education along with in
situ efforts to restore and conserve ecosystems is the solution to saving, restoring and
conserving biodiversity across the world.

Word Count: 1071

References
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<https://earthwatch.org/expeditions/conserving-threatened-rhinos-in-south-africa> [Accessed 24
August 2022].

Engelmann, F. and Engels, J.M.M., 2002. Technologies and strategies for ex situ
conservation. Managing plant genetic diversity, pp.89-104.

Ellson, A., 2019. ‘Sustainable’ palm oil linked to catastrophic rainforest fires. [online] Thetimes.co.uk.
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rainforest-fires-6d9727hcd> [Accessed 24 August 2022].

Garner, J., 2021. Ex Situ Conservation: Is it better than In Situ Conservation? - Millennial Cities.
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better-than-in-situ-conservation/> [Accessed 24 August 2022].

Lubbe, B.A., Du Preez, E.A., Douglas, A. and Fairer-Wessels, F., 2019. The impact of rhino poaching
on tourist experiences and future visitation to National Parks in South Africa. Current Issues in
Tourism, 22(1), pp.8-15.

National Recovery Plan for the Orange-bellied Parrot, Neophema chrysogaster. 2016. [online]
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plan-orange-bellied-parrot.pdf> [Accessed 24 August 2022].

Nellemann, C. ed., 2007. The last stand of the orangutan: state of emergency: illegal logging, fire and
palm oil in Indonesia's national parks. UNEP/Earthprint.

Owen, A., Wilkinson, R. and Sözer, R., 2014. In situ conservation breeding and the role of zoological
institutions and private breeders in the recovery of highly endangered I ndonesian passerine
birds. International Zoo Yearbook, 48(1), pp.199-211.