'
In-situ conservation' means "on-site
conservation". It is the process of protecting an
endangered plant or
animal species in its natural
habitat, either by protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself, or by defending the species from
predators. The benefit to ''in-situ'' conservation is that it maintains recovering populations in the surrounding where they have developed their distinctive properties. As a last resort,
ex-situ conservation may be used on some or all of the population, when ''in-situ'' conservation is too difficult, or impossible.
Wildlife conservation is mostly based on ''in situ'' conservation. This involves the protection of wildlife habitats. Also, sufficiently large reserves are maintained to enable the target species to exist in large numbers. The population size must be sufficient to enable the necessary
genetic diversity to survive within the population, so that it has a good chance of continuing to
adapt and
evolve over time. This reserve size can be calculated for target species by examining the population density in naturally-occurring situations. The reserves must then be protected from intrusion, or destruction by man, and against other catastrophes.
See also
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Extinction
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Ex-situ conservation
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Wildlife conservation
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World Conservation Union (IUCN)
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Reintroduction
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Food plot - the practice of planting crops specifically to support wildlife
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Gene pool
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Genetic Pollution
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Genetic Erosion
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Habitat fragmentation
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Wildlife corridor
External links
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cbd-08 In-Situ Conservation, The Convention on Biological Diversity
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cbd-09 Ex-Situ Conservation, The Convention on Biological Diversity
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The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
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IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group
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IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
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The Convention on Biological Diversity
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Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, IUCN
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Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, IUCN: CBSG “PHVA” Reports (Population and Habitat Viability Assessment)
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The World Wide Fund for Nature
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African Wild Dog Conservancy
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ONLINE BOOK: '“In situ conservation of livestock and poultry”', 1992, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations Environment Programme