Ex Situ Conservation

Conserving Species, One Zoo at a Time 

Ex Situ conservation is the work conducted outside of a species natural habitat to protect the species from extinction. This includes seed banks stored in botanical gardens and breeding programmes within zoos and aquariums.

The Fenn Bell Conservation Project houses an eclectic mix of taxa. Some of the species we house have worryingly low wild population numbers, registering them as a critically endangered, endangered or a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. These species will be of high importance for conservation. Zoos across the world play a vital role in safeguarding the survival of endangered species, alongside conservation charities working to save these species and their habitats in the wild. Currently, the two biggest ex-situ management schemes across UK zoos are the EAZA Ex situ Programme (EEP) or the European Studbook (ESB).

EEPs are the most intensive ongoing form of ex situ conservation within zoos. These programmes will have a coordinator and a committee who will gather genetic information of all individuals of a species within zoos and aquariums who have an individual registered on an EEP. Using this information, the coordinator and committee will design a plan for management strategies in the future, make recommendations annually on which animals should breed that year and where individuals should move to in order to be housed with a suitable breeding partner.

ESBs are a less intensive and slowly fading form of ex situ conservation within UK zoos. These programmes will have a studbook keeper who records the births, deaths and transfers of a certain species across zoos and aquariums. This data is often uploaded to a larger online data system for it to be analysed. The studbook keeper will analyse how well their species is doing in captivity and will decide if the species needs a more intensive ex situ management strategy. If so, the studbook keeper may decide to form an EEP for the species to secure a healthy captive population. Zoos and aquariums may approach the studbook keeper for recommendations on suitable breeding individuals and transfers of animals between collections.

Here at the Fenn Bell Conservation Project a ¼ of our species are a part of EEPs or ESBs. Below is a list of our species on these programmes.

 

  • Asian Small Clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus)
  • Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri)
  • Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)
  • Von Der Decken’s Hornbill (Tockus deckeni)
  • Kirk’s Dik-Dik (Madoqua kirkii)
  • Black and White Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
  • Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)

We are also proud to say that our Head Keeper, Connor is a member of the Fishing Cat Species Committee, working alongside its members, representatives from the felid TAG (Taxon Advisory Group) and directly with the EEP coordinator on the production of a Long Term Management Plan for the species. The goal of the management plan is to define the long term genetic and demographic goals for the programme, an action plan for all strategies, including genetic management, data collection, research, education, and in situ support.
All so that we can best support this elusive species both in a captive setting and to boost our support for the few animals still remaining in the wild.