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Aspects of Captive Breeding

Captive breeding has proved valuable in preventing the extinction of endangered species. Granthon et al. (2021) report that the California Candor, a scavenger that feeds on dead animals, was nearly becoming extinct. In the captive breeding program that was practiced, the focus was on increasing the number of young birds and improving their quality so that their survival chance in the world could be improved after release. Using unpaired adults helps to find experienced breeders to raise the young. Wang et al. (2019) suggested that China has adopted the captive breeding of wild animals, such as musk deer, sika deer, rhinoceros, and Asian black bears. The restrained animals can also attract tourists and therefore act as a significant source f the economy (Garnett et al., 2018). People can also be employed in the breeding sites, thus providing income for these individuals. This approach is beneficial as it protects the animals from disease and risks such as predation and provides better living conditions.

There are some drawbacks and limitations experienced in the captive breeding program. It is not always sure that an animal captured from the wild will do well in captivity; a nearly extinct animal may die in captivity, thus making the entire species nonexistent. A perfect example is a tortoise breed, Lonesome George, who died in captivity after unsuccessful breeding (Miller et al., 2017). The artificial environment cannot accurately resemble the natural habitat where animals live. It is an expensive method as the animals must be provided with food, medicine, water, and other expenses. Reintroducing the captured animals into the wild can lead to disease transmission into the other population if the illness had not earlier been diagnosed. There is inbreeding among captive animals, leading to genetic problems and the expression of recessive traits (Willoughby & Christie, 2018). Some animals born in captivity may find it hard to adapt when introduced into the wild. The method can be dangerous to the caretakers as they risk suffering from stings, bites, and other associated injuries from the captured animals.

Captive breeding should be a primary component to restore endangered species. It helps save endangered species and allows scientists to better study the animals in captivity. Red wolf endangered species still exist today because of establishing the captive breeding program (Murphy et al., 2018). The captured and bred animals can safely be introduced back into the wild. Caretakers can accord the animals better health care, and those at risk of predation in the wild are protected. Through captive breeding, breeding between two different species can lead to an animal with desirable genes.

Several guidelines determine whether an animal should be successively captively bred. The animal must be facing specific threats such as extinction, diseases, hunting, and predation. Taking an animal facing no environmental risk out of its natural habitat would significantly affect its survival. Proper scientific research or study must be conducted before an animal undergoes a captive breeding program. It helps to better understand the animal’s living requirements to decrease the chance of dying in captivity. The research would also serve as a guideline for reintroducing the species back into their original habitat, significantly increasing their chance of survival. Suppose a non-governmental enterprise or individual has decided to practice captive breeding. In that case, he must be licensed and supervised regularly to reduce the chance of mistreating the animals and illegal smuggling of the animals.

References

Garnett, S., Latch, P., Lindenmayer, D., & Woinarski, J. (2018). Recovering Australian threatened species : A book of hope. Csiro Publishing.

Granthon, C., Medley, L. M., Haitz, C. M., Wuori, A. N., Springsteed, H. N., McClure, C. J. W., & Jenkins, M. (2021). Unpaired adult California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) can serve as foster parents in captivity. Journal of Raptor Research, 55(3).

Miller, J. M., Quinzin, M. C., Poulakakis, N., Gibbs, J. P., Beheregaray, L. B., Garrick, R. C., Russello, M. A., Ciofi, C., Edwards, D. L., Hunter, E. A., Tapia, W., Rueda, D., Carrión, J., Valdivieso, A. A., & Caccone, A. (2017). Identification of genetically important individuals of the rediscovered Floreana Galápagos Giant tortoise (Chelonoidis elephantopus) provides founders for species restoration program. Scientific Reports, 7(1).

Murphy, S. M., Adams, J. R., Cox, J. J., & Waits, L. P. (2018). Substantial red wolf genetic ancestry persists in wild canids of southwestern Louisiana. Conservation Letters, 12(2).

Wang, W., Yang, L., Wronski, T., Chen, S., Hu, Y., & Huang, S. (2019). Captive breeding of wildlife resources—China’s revised supply‐side approach to conservation. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 43(3), 425–435.

Willoughby, J. R., & Christie, M. R. (2018). Long‐term demographic and genetic effects of releasing captive‐born individuals into the wild. Conservation Biology, 33(2), 377–388.

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StudyKraken. (2023, March 29). Aspects of Captive Breeding. Retrieved from https://studykraken.com/aspects-of-captive-breeding/

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StudyKraken. (2023, March 29). Aspects of Captive Breeding. https://studykraken.com/aspects-of-captive-breeding/

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"Aspects of Captive Breeding." StudyKraken, 29 Mar. 2023, studykraken.com/aspects-of-captive-breeding/.

1. StudyKraken. "Aspects of Captive Breeding." March 29, 2023. https://studykraken.com/aspects-of-captive-breeding/.


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StudyKraken. "Aspects of Captive Breeding." March 29, 2023. https://studykraken.com/aspects-of-captive-breeding/.

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StudyKraken. 2023. "Aspects of Captive Breeding." March 29, 2023. https://studykraken.com/aspects-of-captive-breeding/.

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StudyKraken. (2023) 'Aspects of Captive Breeding'. 29 March.

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