Reintroduction Programs

Many zoos take part in Species Survival Plans (SSPs), but few are able to take part in
reintroduction projects. With so many animal species endangered and their numbers
dropping, reintroduction projects, if successful, can really make a difference. Sadly
one reason for endangerment is loss of habitat.
That leads to the question:
Where do you introduce new animals when those existing already inhabit the land that remains??...

~ excerpt from News from the Underground August Issue - Stephanie Mayo ~


Reintroduction: an attempt to resettle wildlfie species
within their historical area of distribution

Translocation: a deliberate and mediated movement of wild
individuals from one part of their range to another

Benign Introduction: the release or translocation of a species to
an area or region where they have never been present


Below are some of the reintroduction programs that have taken place with the aid
of many zoos and organizations from around the world.

Jamaican ground iguana
In 1872 the Indian mongoose was introduced to Jamaica to control rats. After surviving hunting from
the Arawak Indians and the early colonists, the largest native land animal, the Jamacian ground
iguana, was under seige and their numbers plummeted. By 1900 the only iguanas thought to
be left alive were on Goat Island, off the south coast of Jamaica. By 1920 the mongoose
had arrived on Goat Island and the populations fell so low that biologists were forced to mount a
major rescue effort. In 1940 they captured the last 22 iguanas to try to breed them, without
success. By 1946 all the captured iguanas were dead and none had reproduced.
The species was certified as extinct.

In 1970 Jeremy Woodley found a dead iguana, after years of searching the Hellshire Hills,
a ruggedly wooded peninsula on the mainland across from Goat Island. In 1990 Edwin Duffus
catches an iguana alive that his dog caught, and takes it to Hope Zoo, in Kingston. The
Hope Zoo alone with the Jamican Natural Resources and Conservation Authority, the Institute
of Jamaica and the University of the West Indies formed the Jamaican Iguana Research
and Conservation Group. Wild caught babies were caught and raised at Hope Zoo. In 1994,
12 captive raised iguanas were sent to the U.S. In 1996, 12 more went to the Fort Worth Zoo
and the Indiana Zoo. By late 1998, 20 iguanas were released back to the wild
with efforts being made to protect the Hellshire Hills.


Black-footed ferret
| The black-footed ferret is one of the most endangered animals in the world. Populations
declined due to loss of its North American prairie ecosystem, as well as loss of prairie dogs,
which are their main food source. In 1981 the last remaining 18 ferrets were removed from
the wild and established in a captive breeding and recovery program, with aid from zoos in
Canada and the U.S. Now their minute population of 18 has grown to more than 700 living in the wild today.


Golden lion tamarian
Conservation breeding and reintroduction programs have been in place for the golden lion
tamarian for over 30 years. The the 1970's there were less than 200 individuals left in the wild,
now there are approximately 1500. A large supporter of this success is the National Zoo,
w hich has taken part since the beginning. Because of this success the golden lion tamarian has
been down-graded from critically endangered to endangered.


Whooping Crane
A large and also popular in the news success involves the whooping crane. In 1941 only
22 birds remained in the wild. In 1950 six of those 22 were lost to a severe storm.
With the aid of dedicated individuals who used puppets to feed hatchlings as well as
dressed up in bird suits, to reduce imprinting on humans began reintroduction in 2000.
Now there are approximately 400 individuals in North America.

Other species within reintroduction programs include:
Przewalski horse, scmitar-horned oryx, organutan, and western lowland gorilla.