Towards more individual-based and fitness-oriented captive mammal population management

Abstract

Many captive populations of birds and mammals are not likely to reach sustainability due mostly to breeding problems. Identifying the conditions under which breeding problems and poor population growth are likely to occur and establishing more appropriate conditions, therefore, will be a necessary prerequisite for future successful conservation breeding and the long-term survival of captive populations. This article analyses the basic approaches and concepts of management programmes for captive mammals. It discusses and propagates an approach which might help increase the productivity of the populations and decrease the risk of viability problems. Evolutionary biology, ecology and conservation biology provide concepts that propose a critical role of the individual phenotype in the context of evolutionary processes, population development and conservation practice. It is assumed that this is not yet sufficiently reflected in the management of captive mammals and possibly other populations, thus contributing to fitness problems. A more individual-based population management that intends to focus on the 'quality' of the individuals and the individual phenotype therefore is proposed. Individuals have to be managed such that they are phenotypically represented in future generations.

Phylogenetic comparative methods: Harnessing the power of species diversity to investigate welfare issues in captive wild animals

“…If species‐typical welfare explicitly played a role in such decisions, the benefits would range from practical and economic advantages to improvements in the viability and conservation relevance of captive populations (e.g., due to reduced rates of domestication) (see Table ). PCMs could thus be part of a holistic approach involving evidence‐based, welfare‐guided collection planning, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that all captive populations can readily be kept successfully (e.g., Alroy, ; Conde et al, ; Gusset et al, ; Kaumanns & Singh, ).…”

The captive population of the Lion-tailed Macaque Macaca silenus (Linnaeus, 1758). The future of an endangered primate under human care

“…Birth control on a large scale over long periods of time to control population size, however, can have enormous risks for the survival of a population. The example of the SSP population and a number of relevant studies (Kaumanns et al 2013;Penfold et al 2014;Kaumanns & Singh 2015;Kaumanns et al 2020) demonstrate possible negative consequences and elaborate ways to stop negative trends.…”

Sustainability Index (S‐Index): A tool for use in the evaluation and planning of institutional animal collections

“…Conservation focused legislation, emerging infectious diseases, and (for birds) an apparent decline in private animal collections have all influenced collection management (Walter, Ellis, & Bingaman Lackey, ), and these changes have generated a new challenge for collection managers. Over the past decade, significant attention has been paid to the sustainability of living collections (e.g., Conway, ; Lees & Wilcken, ; Leus et al, , Long, Dorsey, & Boyle, ), but few practical solutions to sustainability challenges have been identified (Conway, ; Kaumanns & Singh, ; Lacy, ; Lynch & Snyder, ).…”