'Reintroduction' is the deliberate release of animals from
captivity into the wild. It usually involves species that are
endangered or
extinct in the wild. In some cases, reintroduction involves a species that had been wiped out in a particular ecosystem, but survived elsewhere in the wild. Given that reintroduction normally involves native species that have become (locally) extinct, some prefer the term
"'re-establishment'
".
Beginning in the 1980s, biologists have learned that many
mammals and
birds need to learn a lot in order to survive in the wild. Thus, reintroduction programmes have to be planned carefully, ensuring that the animals have the necessary survival skills. It is also necessary to study the animals after the reintroduction. The goals of this study include learning whether the animals are surviving and breeding, and what effects the reintroduction is having on the
ecosystem, and to learn how to improve the process.
IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group
The IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group (RSG) is one of the over 100 Specialist groups of the Species Survival Commission (SSC), which is one of the six IUCN Commissions, with its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. The RSG is one of the few disciplinary Specialist Groups (e.g. Veterinary, Conservation Breeding) as opposed to the majority which are taxon based (e.g. Crocodile, Cat, Orchid).
The role of the RSG is to promote the re-establishment of viable populations in the wild of animals and plants. The need for this role was felt due to the increased demand from re-introduction practitioners, the global conservation community and increase in re-introduction projects worldwide.
Increasing numbers of animal and plant species are becoming rare, or even extinct in the wild. In an attempt to re-establish populations, species can – in some instances – be re-introduced into an area, either through translocation from existing wild populations, or by re-introducing captive-bred animals or artificially propagated plants.
Ongoing or successful reintroduction programmes in the UK
★
Northern Goshawk – the existing
UK population is believed to be derived from a mixture of escaped
falconers' birds and deliberate introductions - (successful)
★
Large Blue butterfly in the west and south-west of
England - (successful and ongoing)
★
Red Kite in the
Chiltern Hills,
Black Isle,
Northamptonshire,
Dumfries and Galloway,
North Yorkshire,
Perth and Kinross and
Gateshead - (successful)
★
Osprey to
Rutland Water - (successful)
★
White-tailed Eagle to the
Outer Hebrides - (successful)
★
Glanville Fritillary butterfly to
Somerset - (successful)
★
Heath Fritillary butterfly to
Essex - (successful)
★
Great Bustard to
Salisbury Plain - (ongoing)
★
Black Grouse to
Derbyshire - (ongoing)
★
Corncrake to
Cambridgeshire - (ongoing)
★
European Beaver to the
Cotswolds
★
Wild Boar to several places in
England - (accidental), (successful)
Planned or proposed reintroduction programmes in the UK
★
Common Crane to
England (proposed, due to commence 2008)
★
European Beaver in
Scotland (proposed)
★
Wolf in
Scotland (proposed)
★
White-tailed Eagle to
England and
Wales (proposed, due to be reintroduced to
Suffolk as soon as 2008)
★
Large Copper butterfly to
The Broads (proposed, with ongoing experiments)
★
Silver-washed Fritillary to
Essex
Planned or proposed reintroduction programmes around the world
★
Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project of
Asiatic Lion to
Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary from their only home presently in the world at
Gir Forest National Park. Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary is the chosen site for re-introducing and establishing the world's second completely separate population of the wild free ranging Asiatic Lions in the state of
Madhya Pradesh, India.
Ongoing or successful reintroduction programmes in other countries
★
Black-footed Ferret in the
USA and
Mexico
★
Brush-tailed Bettong in
Australia (ongoing)
★
California Condor in
California (
USA) and
Mexico (ongoing)
★
European Beaver in several places in
Europe (successful))
★
European Otter in the
Netherlands (ongoing)
★
European Lynx in
Switzerland (successful), and other parts of Europe (ongoing)
★
European Black Vulture in the
Massif Central in
France
★
Griffon Vulture in the
Massif Central,
France (successful) and Central
Apennines,
Italy
★
Lammergeier in the
Alps (successful)
★
Lesser Kestrel in
Spain
★
Lesser White-fronted Goose in
Sweden and
Germany (ongoing)
★
Musk ox in
Alaska (
USA) (successful)
★
Northern Bald Ibis in
Austria and
Italy (ongoing)
★
Père David's Deer in
China (ongoing)
★
Peregrine Falcon in
Germany,
Poland,
Sweden and
Norway
★
Przewalski's Horse in
Mongolia (ongoing)
★
Red Kite in
Ireland[http://www.environ.ie/en/Heritage/NationalParksandWildlife/News/MainBody,5384,en.htm]
★
Golden Eagle in
Ireland (ongoing)
★
Wisent in
Poland,
Belarus (successful) and other parts of
Europe (ongoing)
★
Wolf in
Wyoming (
USA) (successful)
★
Arabian Oryx in the Sultant of Oman (successful)
See also
★
Wildlife management
★
Wildlife conservation
★
World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Reference
External links
★
IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group
★
IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group's NEWSLETTER: "Re-introduction NEWS" (IUCN/SSC)
★
The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
★
Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, IUCN: CBSG “PHVA” Reports (Population and Habitat Viability Assessment)
★
Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, IUCN
★
Reintroduction of Golden Eagle to Ireland
★
BBC News release on Beaver reintroduction in England
★
Scottish Beavers Network - campaigning for Beaver reintroduction in Scotland
★
Reintroduction of Przewalski's Horse to Mongolia
★
Reintroduction of Great Bustard to England
★
Kuno: Asiatic Lion’s second home in making