Founded in 2019, in partnership with African Lion Safari and the Toronto Zoo,
the Canadian Species Initiative strengthens endangered species recovery planning and implementation in Canada by ensuring that all possible management options are considered.
Background
Endangered species conservation continues to face new and emerging challenges, such as novel and emerging diseases, and the effects of climate change. In today’s world, the view that species can be effectively conserved with minimal management simply by creating large areas of protected habitat is unrealistic. There is increasing need for active management, and long term human intervention.
While not all species will benefit from ex situ management, when used strategically, ex situ conservation can be a key tool for species conservation that complements field conservation efforts.
Ex situ, or “off-site”, conservation is the process of protecting an endangered species outside its natural habitat, for example within a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden or gene bank. In situ conservation efforts on the other hand occur “on-site” with wild populations in their natural habitats.
The Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Recovery Program includes ex-situ conservation breeding efforts at zoo partner facilities.
The ‘One Plan Approach’
Promoted by the Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG), part of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the One Plan Approach ensures integrated conservation planning that bridges the gap between wild and captive population management. A wide range of stakeholders is involved in the planning process, including field biologists, wildlife managers, First Nations, academics, and the zoo and aquarium community.
TRADITIONAL APPROACH
ONE PLAN APPROACH
About the Canadian Species Initiative
The Canadian Species Initiative (CSI) aims to ensure that species recovery planning in Canada adheres to the principles of the One Plan Approach. With support from the Conservation Planning Specialist Group, we are working to build Canada’s capacity to apply existing internationally recognized tools to conserve our own threatened species. Our goal is to establish a coordinated and holistic effort to ensure ex situ management is effectively used for species conservation in Canada. Through multi-stakeholder workshop processes, we can identify which Canadian species would benefit most from ex situ actions, provide program specifics to meet identified roles, and prioritize actions. By doing so we ensure the most effective methods of addressing Canadian species conservation needs are implemented.
Our inaugural Integrated Collection Assessment and Planning (ICAP) workshop will be held in winter 2020. ICAP workshops bring together in situ and ex situ communities to inform zoo collection planning based on identified ex situ roles for a target group of species, adhering to established IUCN Guidelines on the Use of Ex Situ Management for Species Conservation. They are just one of several proven workshop processes designed to bring a diverse group of stakeholders together to develop management recommendations with broad support.
Canadian Species Initiative Committee
If you are interested in becoming involved or kept abreast of this initiative, or want more details, please contact us at admin@wildlifepreservation.ca
Dr. Amy Chabot
Research and Conservation Programs Coordinator
African Lion Safari
Dr. Kevin C.R. Kerr
Manager of Species Recovery and Program Assessment
Toronto Zoo
Jessica Steiner
Conservation Programs Director
Wildlife Preservation Canada
CSI Partners
Potential roles of ex situ programs
There are many ways that ex situ activities managed by zoos and aquariums can directly address the threats or challenges a species is facing. There are also indirect conservation roles, such as conservation education or funding of in situ projects by the ex situ community. One ex situ program may serve several conservation roles, either simultaneously or consecutively.
Success stories from ex situ conservation
Headstarting: increasing juvenile survival.
Success story: Western painted turtle recovery program in British Columbia
Conservation breeding: supplementing existing populations.
Success story: Loggerhead shrike recovery program in Ontario
Translocations: reintroducing species to areas of their range where they have disappeared.
Success story: Swift fox recovery program in Alberta