All life on Earth has a place on an interconnected web, which means that the diminishing numbers of other species will eventually put our human health and safety at peril.
So now that we’re all on the same page, how do we solve the problem of disappearing species? Easy; we breed the animals and put them back in their respective wild habitats. Well, the problem is it really isn’t as simple as it sounds. In fact, there’s still a lot of controversy surrounding this method of rehabilitating the environment due to the lack of success. But to keep our hopes up, the truth is that there have been several incidences in which the reintroduction of species in an ecosystem has been successful, however difficult the process.
(The California Condor being released into the wild after it has been deemed capable of surviving and reproducing on its own without human assistance)
The idea of reintroduction is to keep endangered species captive in a well-controlled environment until they are ready to be released into the wild where they continue to populate. The first step in reintroducing a species is determining the reasons for the population decline and finding ways to address or eliminate these other elements. For example, if the reason for a species’ declining numbers is a result of hunting, then it’s necessary to set laws that prohibit the killing of these animals. For the reintroduction of animals to a wild habitat, special care must be put into ensuring that the animals can survive on their own without human assistance. This usually means the animals are kept captive in an environment where they are forced to fend for themselves until they are deemed ready to be set free into the wild under tight supervision. This process may become extremely difficult, especially when dealing with young animals that tend to imprint on human care-givers and eventually become accustomed to captivity. The most obvious purpose of reintroducing a plant species would be to provide a reliable and familiar food source for animals. Aside from this, reintroducing plants in an environment can also choke out other invasive and non-native species.
The Californian Condor is a perfect example of a successful reintroduction effort. This bird of an incredible 9-feet long wingspan became highly endangered due to hunting and the extinction of its prey. At the time when they were taken into captivity, there were only 22 Californian Condors left in the world. Over a tedious process that spanned over many decades, three populations which each contained at least 150 Condors and 15 breeding pairs were raised and finally released back into the wilderness of northern Arizona. Since then, efforts to reintroduce this incredible bird to its other native homes have been initiated.
(The California Condor soaring across the jagged cliffs of Northern Arizona. At this point it is entirely self-sustainable >)
With the need for constant supervision and periodic testing, the reintroduction of species definitely isn’t an easy or inexpensive method of recovering the environment. However, reintroduction has brought about something that conservation alone cannot achieve: it has corrected human error. With the ability to give back what we’ve taken, we can positively affect the biodiversity of our ecosystems rather than hopelessly preserve what’s left of our mistakes.
Commented on:
BioBlog - Sea Shepherd Conservation; by Nicole Duffy-LeBlanc
Caitlin's Bio Blog - Green Peace; by Caitlin Cosgrove
Sources:
· "What Is Reintroduction?" Wise Geek. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.
· "The California Condor on the Colorado Plateau." Land Use History of North America. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.
· "Habitat Loss, Biodiversity, Conservation." Morris Course. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.
· "Wisdom of Reintroductions." Why Files. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.
