Saving Endangered Species: Captive Breeding, Rearing, and Repatriation

Breeding and rearing endangered species in captivity has been an important tool in conservation for many years. In the best scenario, young animals reared in captivity can then be repatriated to their original habitat, thus saving not only the endangered species but also the overall ecosystem and ecological and evolutionary processes of the site. Although captive rearing and repatriation programs have not achieved great success in many places in the world, most often because the original habitat is no longer intact or the repatriated animals are not “wild” enough, in Galapagos, this tool has been used since the mid 1960s with exceptional success.

The Giant Tortoise Program, begun in 1965, is one of the longest running programs of the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) and the Galapagos National Park. As of 2007, more than 4,000 young tortoises had been repatriated to eight populations. Studies of survival rates of the repatriates and health of the various populations indicate great success.

The Land Iguana Program was initiated in 1976 following the near complete destruction of two iguana populations by feral dog packs. The program was later expanded to include the land iguana population of Baltra. In 2008, the program was shut down, a result of the re-establishment of healthy populations at the three sites. During the program, more than 1,000 young iguanas were returned to the wild. The three populations will continue to be monitored to ensure their future.

The Mangrove Finch Program and the Floreana Mockingbird Program are recent additions to the Captive Breeding Programs in Galapagos. After much preparation, both programs are now underway. Both bird species have reached critical population sizes (about 80 for Mangrove Finches and 140 for the Floreana Mockingbird). Captive breeding and the subsequent release of young is considered the best management option for these species.

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