. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Asia and the Pacific. Forest Wildlife Zoos AND Conservation As the extent of the world's natural habitat declines, the import- ance of the modern zoo to conservation is increasing. Interna- tional studbooks, breeding programmes and sophisticated techniques for genetic identification and management enable zoos to preserve species and sub-species such as the Bali starling Leucopsar rothschildt and the Formosan sika deer Cervus mppon laiouanus, which would otherwise disappear. A more recent but closely-related development is the use of zoo-bred animal
. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Asia and the Pacific. Forest Wildlife Zoos AND Conservation As the extent of the world's natural habitat declines, the import- ance of the modern zoo to conservation is increasing. Interna- tional studbooks, breeding programmes and sophisticated techniques for genetic identification and management enable zoos to preserve species and sub-species such as the Bali starling Leucopsar rothschildt and the Formosan sika deer Cervus mppon laiouanus, which would otherwise disappear. A more recent but closely-related development is the use of zoo-bred animals to re- inforce or reintroduce populations into the wild, and thereby rehabihtate degraded ecosystems. Increasingly, such restoration programmes will require animals that are only available in zoos and other captive breeding institutions. Zoos also contribute substantially to public education. As more and more people become detached from their natural heritage through urban existence, visiting the zoo is not only the closest they will ever come to a wild animal, it is also an effective way of conveying the variety and beauty of nature. This can be accom- phshed through the exhibition of a broad range of taxonomic groups or through specialist collections which concentrate on particular species or groups of species. Butterfly houses and insectaria, for example, are growing in number around the world, especially in Europe and North America, and now also in Aus- tralia, Japan and the Far East, where displays of butterflies are extremely popular. Of growing importance is the zoo's role in the development of specialised techniques for the management of restricted popula- tions. The constriction of the world's wild places into islands, parks and reserves isolated by human development and marginal lands means that the long-term viability of the animal populations may depend upon the same intensive management techniques already in use in zoos. The value of these techniques and expertis
Size: 1414px × 1767px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bhlconsortium, bookc, bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiodiversity
