it is widely believed that zoos help to grow the populations of endangered species and conserve endangered ones by developing breeding programmes that have saved species including the Socorro Dove from extinction. Zoos have data bases showing the recorded family and breeding history of each individual to ensure the gene pool can grow and there is no risk or inbreeding which can lead to a population collapse. These often involve either the exchange in individuals between zoos or the gifting of genetic material that can be used for artificial insemination. The main end goal of these programmes is advertised as release into the wild or sanctuaries but I wanted to look at a few example to see if this really was the case.
Regardless if you agree with the ethics of zoos and these programmes, you cannot argue there have been many captive breeding programmes that have been successful such as the Amur Tiger breeding programme in Europe that currently has 287 individuals within the programme.There have been cases of species being extinct in the wild that have increased in population size such as Przewalski's horses that have been extinct in the wild since the 1960's but a successful reintroduction programme the species conservation status was updated in 2008. There are also accreditation programmes for zoos to ensure that they are regulated and the animals are healthy and cared for properly. This also means the breeding programmes are monitored and have to be approved by a regulating body to ensure that no inbreeding or crossbreeding occurs as this will impact the health and life expectancy of any offspring. Despite these, different species are crossbred in zoos to attract visitors and increase profits. One example would be a liger which is a hybrid between a lion and tiger which are bred artificially in captivity as in the wild they are found on different continents making it impossible for them to be bred naturally. The USA has the greatest number with 30 with many of these cases being claimed to be an accident, however it is standard policy to keep different species separate so these claims are mostly likely false or are cases of neglect towards the proper care of animals.
There are several disadvantage to there being zoos open to the public the first of which being that animals become dependant on humans or used to their presence which can put them at risk of being hunted if they are released into the wild. This also means they can lose valuable skills such as the ability to hunt or source food on their own which, again, will greatly reduce their chance of survival. There is research to suggests that the survival rate for captive breed carnivores (i.e. lions and tigers) is only 33% as they have not learnt behavioural and survival instincts. This is because in the wild individuals are competing for mates, hunting grounds and food. Individuals born in the wild have learnt survival skills from their mother and others in the wild, putting them at an advantage over those raised in captivity. Therefore it can be argued that funds should be invested into conservation of wild habitats and species in the wild rather than of those in captivity.
I feel that is should be made clear the difference between a sanctuary/rehabilitation centre and a zoo. As a zoo dies aid conservation but has a focus on engagement with the public and ticket sales with education and conservation as a second priority. Rehabilitation centres take injured individuals from the wild for a short period of time with the aim of releasing them back into their natural habitat. In my opinion, rehabilitation centres are a better alternative to zoos and will educate people on local wildlife rather than those from the other side of the world. In terms of aiding conservation, you could argue that they do but they need to be regulated to ensure all the individuals have enrichment, a healthy diet and enough space to live. There should also be a chance for individuals to see their natural habitat if they have good enough survival chances but rehabilitation are by far a much better option.
References-
http://www.waza.org/en/site/conservation/conservation-breeding-programmes
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/p/przewalskis-horse/
https://www.zsl.org/conservation-initiatives/conservation-breeding/amur-tiger-european-breeding-programme
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2008/01/predators-captivity-habitat-animals/
