Captive Breeding Basics🐸
What is captive propagation?
Breeding animals in controlled environments like zoos or labs
What is inbreeding?
When closely related individuals reproduce with each other
➡️ Low genetic variation in a population leads to this problem
What is unresolved original threats?
Initial problems that caused a species to decline that have NOT been fixed yet
➡️ The most common reason reintroductions fail
What is loss of anti-predator behavior?
Animals do not recognize predators after captivity
What is the California condor?
A famous success story of captive breeding and reintroduction in birds often used as a model
💬 Why might this be harder for reptiles & amphibians?
What is increasing population size?
The main goal of captive breeding programs for endangered species
💬 Is that enough on its own?
What is inbreeding depression?
Reduced survival and reproduction due to inbreeding
What is chytrid fungus?
A major amphibian disease that complicates reintroduction
What is disease transmission?
Captive animals introduce pathogens into wild populations
What is permeable skin?
Skin that allows substances to pass through it easily
➡️ Amphibians are especially sensitive to environmental changes because of this
What is habitat quality?
Refers to how well an environment can support survival, growth, and reproduction of an organism
➡️ This must be considered before reintroducing animals into the wild
What is adaptability to environmental changes?
The ability of an organism to adjust & survive when the environment changes (temperature, food, predators)
➡️ Why genetic diversity is important for reintroduction success
What is a soft release?
Releasing animals gradually while supporting them
What is resource competition?
Released animals compete with wild populations
What is lack of learned behaviors?
Why reptiles may struggle after captive breeding (hunting or thermoregulation)
What is natural survival behavior?
Animals raised in captivity may lack key survival ability skills (hunting or avoiding predators)
What is genetic mixing (gene flow)?
Using individuals from different populations to increase variation
💬 Could this ever be harmful?
What is a hard release?
Releasing animals directly without support
⚠️ DAILY DOUBLE: Captive-bred amphibians are ready for release, but a disease is still present in the habitat. Do you release now or wait?
✅ Wait
✅ Release Now
What is thermoregulation?
Process by which an organism maintains its internal body temperature, despite external environmental changes
➡️ A key factor in reptile survival involving temperature control
What is a reintroduction program?
A program that breeds animals specifically to return them to the wild
🧬 DAILY DOUBLE: A captive population has very low genetic diversity. Should you release them into the wild or delay the reintroduction?
✅ Delay Reintroduction
✅ Release Anyway
Why do the seasonal/environmental conditions matter to reintroduction?
Time-specific features (like temperature, food supply, or breeding seasons) are important when choosing the best moment to reintroduce organisms, so they have the highest chance for survival
What is habitat mismatch or failure?
A population crashes because the environment still is not suitable
What are a few risks vs. benefits of reintroduction?
Benefits: restores populations, increases genetic diversity (sometimes), & restores ecosystem balance
Risks: disease spread, low genetic fitness, poor survival skills, human-related issues