Translocation (wildlife conservation)

Translocation in wildlife conservation means capture, transport and release or introduction of species, habitats or other ecological material (such as soil) from one location to another. It contrasts with reintroduction, a term which is generally used to denote the introduction into the wild of species from captive stock.

Translocation may be expensive and is often subject to public scrutiny,[2] particularly when the species involved is charismatic or perceived as dangerous (for example wolf reintroduction).[3] Translocation as a tool is used to reduce the risk of a catastrophe to a species with a single population, to improve genetic heterogeneity of separated populations of a species, to aid the natural recovery of a species or re-establish a species where barriers might prevent it from doing so naturally.[4] It is also used to move ecological features out of the way of development.

Several critically endangered plant species in the southwestern Western Australia have either been considered for translocation or trialled. Grevillea scapigera is one such case, threatened by rabbits, dieback and degraded habitat.[5]

References

  1. ^ "African Savanna: Giraffe Fact Sheet". National Zoo - Smithsonian Institution. http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/africansavanna/fact-giraffe.cfm. Retrieved 12 October 2011. 
  2. ^ B. Griffith, J. M. Scott, J. W. Carpenter, C. Reed, (1989) "Translocation as a Species Conservation Tool: Status and Strategy" Science 245 (4917): pp. 477 - 480 doi:10.1126/science.245.4917.477
  3. ^ Bath, AJ (1989) "The public and wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park." Society and Natural Resources 2 (4): 297-306.
  4. ^ Shirey, P.D. and G.A. Lamberti. 2010. Assisted colonization under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Conservation Letters 3(1): 45-52.
  5. ^ Anne Cochrane, Andrew Crawford, Amanda Shade, Bryan Shearer (2008). "Corrigin Grevillea (Grevillea scapigera) Interim Recovery Plan 224". Department of Environment and Conservation website. Kensington, WA: Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australian Government. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/recovery/224-grevillea-scapigera/pubs/224-grevillea-scapigera.pdf. Retrieved 14 September 2010. 

See also