Towards Sustainable Population Management - Waza

WAZA magazine Vol 12/2011
Markus Gusset
Editorial
1 & Gerald Dick2 A recent evaluation of the status of
the world’s vertebrates (Hoffmann
et al. 2010; Science 330: 1503–1509)
showed that one-fifth of species are
classified as threatened. On average,
52 species of mammals, birds and
amphibians move closer to extinction
each year. However, the rate of deterioration
would have been at least
one-fifth more in the absence of conservation
measures. Therefore, while
current conservation efforts remain
insufficient to offset the main drivers
of biodiversity loss, this overall pattern
conceals the impact of conservation
successes. Notably, conservation
breeding in zoos and aquariums has
played a role in the recovery of 28%
of the 68 species whose threat status
was reduced.
To fulfil the full suite of conservation
roles required of animal populations
in human care, they must be
demographically robust, genetically
representative of wild counterparts
and able to sustain these characteristics
for the foreseeable future. In
light of growing concerns about the
long-term sustainability of captive
populations, WAZA organised
a two-day workshop in April 2011 on
the sustainable management of zoo
animal populations. This workshop,
which was an integral part of a series
of workshops on related topics
summarised in this edition of the
WAZA Magazine, tackled the issue
of studbook-based global population
management, which lies at the heart
of successful conservation breeding
programmes aimed at preserving
biodiversity.
1 WAZA Conservation Officer &
International Studbook
Coordinator
2 WAZA Executive Director
© Nicole Gusset-Burgener
Lion (Panthera leo) in the Serengeti.
In this edition of the WAZA Magazine,
the results of population sustainability
assessments globally (Lees &
Wilcken) and in three major regions
(Australasia: Hibbard et al.; Europe:
Leus et al.; North America: Long et
al.) are presented. Two important biological
factors impacting population
sustainability are reviewed, namely
genetics (Ballou & Traylor-Holzer) and
mate choice (Asa et al.). Overviews
of how biodiversity is represented in
zoological institutions (Conde et al.),
managed programmes (Traylor-Holzer)
and studbooks (Oberwemmer et
al.) are provided, including a study on
studbook-driven husbandry success
(Müller et al.). Finally, a vision for the
future of population sustainability is
outlined (Baker et al.).
We hope that this edition of the
WAZA Magazine will make a substantial
contribution to the challenge of
how animal populations in human
care can be managed sustainably in
the long term, and thereby further
increase the contribution of the world
zoo and aquarium community to
global biodiversity conservation.
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