Page 44 - Ex-Situ Updates - Double Edition

After the formal launch of the conservation breeding So, taking the species into captivity much before it

program of the CZA, many species were added to the becomes too sparse must be thoroughly understood
list of pheasants identified for conservation breeding. first. Therefore, any species identified for conservation
These included Hume’s pheasant in Aizawl Zoo and breeding must have enough prior information on its
Satyr tragopan and the Blood Pheasant in the population status and distribution in the wild for
Darjeeling Zoo. Currently, 13 of the 17 species found evidence-based decisions.

in India feature in this list. Unfortunately, so far, very
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few species and facilities have succeeded in meeting
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the ultimate objective of augmenting the wild T To start with, the 13 species listed for conservation
populations. breeding in India must be supported with periodic
data on their status in the wild. We need to have a
What are the lessons learned? Do all species need robust species conservation planning process for
conservation breeding? Should this be a lifelong effort choosing a species for conservation breeding based
or a time-bound one? Should these efforts be centrally on the five-step decision process outlined by IUCN to
driven and funded or the states take up based on develop an integrated conservation strategy. The
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duration of the project is an important consideration
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need, capacity, and feasibility? These questions d r t n o f h r j c n i p r a t o n i e a i n
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continue to worry us. as duration drives targets. If we require a certain
number of birds for release at the end of 10 years, we
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Conservation breeding is considered a last resort
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C o s r a i n b r e i g i o s d r d a l s e o t should be able to work backward to estimate the
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when all efforts to conserve populations in-situ fail. number of founders needed. Also, long-term planning
This means the species either has a low abundance in allows effective budgeting, milestones, and
the wild or has already become extinct locally. Should deliverables and thus the monitoring of the progress
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we wait that long to take the birds into captivity? If we of the project. Capacity and science-based
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do wait that long, we would be confronted with interventions are also crucial.
problems like lack of or an insufficient number of
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founders.
f u d r .
Female Blyths Tragopan | Credit: Lakshminarasimha R Humes pheasant in Aizawl zoo | Credit: Rahul Kaul
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