LIMITATIONS OF CAPTIVE BREEDING IN ENDANGERED SPECIES RECOVERY

The use of captive breeding in species recovery has grown enormously i n recent years, but without a concurrent growth in appreciation of its limitations. Problems with (1) establishing self-sufficient captive p opulations, (2) poor success in reintroductions, (3) high costs, (4) d omestication, (5) preemption of other recovery techniques, (6) disease outbreaks, and (7) maintaining administrative continuity have all bee n significant. The technique has often been invoked prematurely and sh ould not normally be employed before a careful field evaluation of cos ts and benefits of all conservation alternatives has been accomplished and a determination made that captive breeding is essential for speci es survival. Merely demonstrating that a species' population is declin ing or has fallen below what may be a minimum viable size does not con stitute enough analysis to justify captive breeding as a recovery meas ure. Captive breeding should be viewed as a last resort in species rec overy and not a prophylactic or long-term solution because of the inex orable genetic and phenotypic changes that occur in captive environmen ts. Captive breeding can play a crucial role in recovery of some speci es for which effective alternatives are unavailable in the short term. However, it should not displace habitat and ecosystem protection nor should it be invoked in the absence of comprehensive efforts to mainta in or restore populations in wild habitats. Zoological institutions wi th captive breeding programs should operate under carefully defined co nditions of disease prevention and genetic/behavioral management. More important, these institutions should help preserve biodiversity throu gh their capacities for public education, professional training, resea rch, and support of in situ conservation efforts.