Guidelines for subspecific substitutions in wildlife restoration projects

Reintroduction of animals is becoming increasingly popular as a means of re storing populations of threatened species. Sometimes depletion of wild popu lations leaves only captive populations from which reintroduction projects can obtain founders for releases. The World Conservation Union guidelines o n reintroductions recommend that the individuals to be reintroduced should be of the same subspecies as those that were extirpated. In some cases, how ever, a subspecies may have become extinct in the wild and in captivity A s ubstitute form may then be chosen for possible release. Such substitutions are actually a form of benign introduction. Considerations include assessme nt of the value of a substitution project and the selection of a suitable s ubstitute. Species substitutions increase biodiversity, conserve related fo rms, improve public awareness of conservation issues, educate the public, a nd may be implemented for aesthetic or economic reasons Selection of a suit able substitute should focus on extant subspecies and consider genetic rela tedness, phenotype, ecological compatibility, and conservation value of pot ential candidates. An example of a substitution project is the reintroducti on of the North African Red-necked Ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus) into areas once occupied by the now extinct Arabian Ostrich (Struthio camelus sy riacus). S. c. camelus was chosen as a substitute because of its geographic proximity, phenotypic similarity, and conservation value The World Conserv ation Union's reintroduction guidelines should be consulted before a projec t is begun.