Re-introducions: Vital work or a waste of money?

The California Condor was saved with one
of the most expensive re-introduction projects ever. 

Re-introductions are undeniably expensive. the cost of rearing and caring for animals in captivity (often using specialist techniques), the expense of transporting animals to the release sites as well as costs related to preparing the release site and monitoring of individuals once they have been released means that the bills for re-introductions are large. One of the most expensive re-introduction projects is that of the California Condor which has cost $35 million since 1987. That is a lot of money by any standard, and in the chronically underfunded world of conservation it may wrinkle a few noses to think about the other huge befits that that money could have had if diverted elsewhere; such as protecting habitats.

Even if the animals are released there is no guarantee that they will survive and be successful. Food, disease, predators, climate, weather and stress caused from captivity and transportation can all stop a population from growing, surviving and reproducing. Even the best feasibility studies cannot predict everything and sometimes there will be factors that haven’t even been considered that cause a re-introduced population to wither and die off. Research undertaken by the University of Exeter looking at 45 case studies of predator re-introductions found that only 30% of released animals survived. Most deaths were caused by humans by things such as shooting and traffic collisions.

A good re-introduction can be (and often is) the jewel in the crown for many conservation organisations. Indeed, the list of species re-introduced just in the U.K makes for impressive reading. There is a huge variety: everything for Sea Eagles to Cirl Buntings to Field Crickets to Short-haired Bumblebees, the list goes on and of course Red Kites are thrown in for good measure. Then we have species that have re-introduced themselves, either by re-colonising naturally (like the Avocet) or by escaping from captivity (like the Wild Boar). Each of these re-introductions helps to replace just a little bit of out lost biological heritage. So, in many ways the funds put into these projects help to protect and rewild our precious and delicate ecosystems. 

The Return of Wolves brought
massive benefits for the
ecosystems of Yellowstone.

Re-introductions often focus on keystone species, these are species on which an ecosystem depends in some way. So, returning them will have large ecological benefits. The classics example here is the return of Wolves to Yellowstone National Park. The story is complex, but it boils down to the retied wolves control numbers of grazers in the park. This then allowed other species such as beavers to increase in number and help to restore a healthy ecosystem. More about it can be found here.

Re-introductions of species can have many benefits to the human population of the area as well. Restoring ecosystem functions can reduce the risk of flooding as well as reduce costs associated with processes such as water cleaning. Returning large charismatic species to an area can increase ecotourism, boosting the local economy. Moreover, these flagship species can act as a sort of ‘poster boy’ for conserving the wonder habitats on which they depend.

Overall, despite the drawbacks, when done properly re-introductions are a valuable weapon in the conservationists’ arsenal. Strict guidelines relating to re-introductions from the IUCN mean that any project must be evaluated and deemed to have a high likelihood of success. This means that minimal money is wasted and we can restore some of our lost natural heritage and make the world around us just a little bit wilder.