Reintroduction of ‘golden lion tamarins into half-way houses (caged areas of rain forest) where the tamarins can learn to navigate while protected from predators and supplied with food supplements helping them survive [9].
1.3 Methods appropriate
Captive breeding is a method of conservation used for the golden lion tamarins. Studbook usage helps increase hetrozygosity, reduce inbreeding depression and avoid genetic drift; this is fulfilled by preventing mating of closely related tamarins by checking studbook data. After successful captive breeding or from the captive population, the species may be reintroduced into the wild after being trained essential skills to survive in the wild. Reintroduction is ‘an attempt to establish a species in an area which was once part of its historical range, but from which it has been extirpated or become extinct’ [10] and aims to restore natural biodiversity. This can only be achievable if the habitat is unchanged and thought to be safe for the species.
To give tamarins a firsthand experience of the rain forest without predators (to experience moving around and searching for food and shelter) zoologists have created a halfway house, enabling more survival. This reintroduced population will continue to grow and reproduce after the conservationist have left, proving the method is cost-effective, as new offspring will not require aid from humans and will learn naturally. The success of reintroduction is shown, the average group size increased from 5.8 in 1995 to 7.5 in 1998 because of reproduction. The survival rate of reintroduced offspring is 70%, higher than of the zoo born offspring as they become independent quicker and the “proportion of the reintroduced population comprised by wild-born remains at 95 percent” [1].
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The data above shows the number of founders (wild-caught animals with descendants in the year 2000-population) and the expected heterozygosity retained and the mean kinship of the offspring of the founders. The expected heterozygosity is very high 96.2%, which suggest that the use of studbook data to avoid inbreeding was successful. The low mean kinship value suggests there is large genetic diversity amongst the population.
However, it may not be too reliable as the second stage of captive breeding, re-introduction is not efficient, as the animal can’t adapt to its new surroundings of the rain forest. Death rates for the captive bred reintroduced population are high as, up to 70% die in the first year after release. When these tamarins are set free, they become helpless and vulnerable [9].
Captive breeding and reintroduction are appropriate as it is ha been a successful scheme which increases the number of golden lion tamarins and their gene pool. The two processes have proved to be a success as the IUCN changed the tamarin’s red list status from critically endangered to endangered in 2003 [3]. In addition, it is capable to control conditions that are uncontrollable in the wild.
2.1 Implications
Ethical
Some argue captive breeding is wrong and unnatural since conservationists often remove entire populations of species from the wild for ‘last chance’ captive breeding. Removing the animals as a last resort is cruel as it is not sure if the animal will survive and be successfully re-introduced. The animal should be conserved in-situ or allowed to live out its life in the wild [13]. Natural selection is the process in which the genetically fittest organisms survive and captive breeding animals that are facing extinction due to the animal not being able to adapt to the new conditions. Natural selection is disturbed and humans are interfering with nature, which is considered to damage natural changes. Too much intervention by humans; removing animals from the wild and releasing offspring with no experience cause problems like, the tamarin struggling to survive in the wild.
However, as humans, we are responsible for the habitat loss and we shoulder the duty to help conserve the tamarin and minimise danger. Captive breeding prevents inbreeding depression, which would make the species genetically unfit thus less able which would also be cruel to allow this to happen.
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Environmental
Zoologists interfering are removing natural selection therefore the species genetically unfit and species gene pool decreases and is lost. Large areas of forests are destroyed and as humans, we have responsibility to save all life and not overuse their advantages. Destroying tamarin’s habitat will simultaneously destroy the whole niche, which will affect the destroyed area, and more species may be endangered. Gene pools decreasing decrease hetrozygosity therefore, it is important to maintain a large gene pool. Maintaining a healthy environment is vital as majority of biodiversity is found in rain forests. Loosing this large biodiversity will be critical in developments to species and may result to a population decline, which will be damage chances for possible medical solutions.
2.2 Benefits and risks
As the environment is also sustained with the tamarin monkey, the umbrella specie will also help sustain the population off all the species in its niche, leaving them unharmed, which the tamarin will benefit from by continuing its original diet of fruit and insects rather than look for different alternatives. In-situ conservation will require setting accommodation and storage for zoologists, which disturbs the habitat and contribute to habitat destruction as less living organisms would live near human activity. "work with lion tamarins shows that conserving forest fragments and reforesting to create corridors that connect them is not only vital for primates, but offers the multiple benefits of maintaining healthy ecosystems and water supplies, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change" [18] said Dr Rylands. This is brilliant as it overcomes two issues using one method and both are important for saving the planet. However this can be done without using conservational methods and just done by volunteers in the native country rather than using large funds, however this method is useful as its first priority is met and a secondary bonus is achieved which is more successful even though costly.
The process of natural selection being altered will cause issues, as the specie will struggle to adapt to climate change later, humans interfering with nature. There is also a risk of breeding a diseases tamarin that would ruin breeding plans. Furthermore the breeding programme may be useless as “mothers often die in the wild before having offspring because they do not have climbing...skills” by Smithsonian zoo, which suggests the ethical implication of tamarins struggling for survival.
2.3 Alternative methods
An alternative method to conserve the tamarin is translocation; this does not eliminate natural selection and is more likely to be successful when the threat is due to habitat loss. Translocation is the transport of animals from one location to another safe location. The Smithsonian national zoo has been translocating tamarins by moving them from small dangerous areas to ‘larger uninhabited and protected forests’ [14]. Instead of confiscating tamarins and keeping them in captivity to breed, they would be able to live and breed in their natural habitat and follow a natural path aided by humans.
The Brazilian government can declare areas as preservation sites and authorise legislations, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species that prohibits trade and killing. Laws passed, include industrial factories to stop releasing chemicals into rivers through forests and spraying insecticides [15] prevents any harm to species. Additionally, education programmes to emphasise the situation of the tamarin for locals to realise, the situation and therefore conservation projects are run. To avoid animal disturbances, the government can authorise Federal Reserve’s that are protected and minimise captive breeding, as the tamarins will be left in peace to live their natural life.
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This method of government interference is less costly and reliable and does not require the tamarin to be removed from its native habitat and captive breeding is avoided, preventing natural selection to be altered.
3.2 Sources evaluation
The Smithsonian National Zoo Park is an extremely valuable source as it is one of the first organisations to conserve the tamarin. There is no motive to publish biased information, as they are a non-profit organisation therefore there is nothing to benefit from. The data used is from a zoological institute from observational data and is a respected zoo in America. The domain ‘edu’ is a sponsored top-level domain, imitated from education, signifying it as a website for educational institutes [16], which suggest the level of regard given by the government. There may be personal affiliation with the species but there is no motive to release biased figures, as these stats are used to improve the well-being of the tamarins. The dates of the data are thorough as the information online is relevant for the past 20 years. I think this source is reliable and valid since it is a renowned organisation on conserving and preserving golden lion tamarins. Figures from this source correspond with source four, the Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology book and with other zoos such as Atlanta and Bristol.
A primer of conservation genetics published by Cambridge university press, written by Richard Frankham, Jonathan D. Ballou, David A. Briscoe, source eleven. “Richard Frankham is a professor of biology at Macquarie University, Sydney; his expertise is wide-ranging and includes quantitative genetics” [17], suggesting the author of the book is a expert in the field of genetics and his information is valid as he also had all the resources to carry out valid research. As the book also has three authors, it has been peer-reviewed supporting the validity of this source. The publisher, one of the world’s highly regarded university would not have published the book unless they thought it to be valid and reliable. My opinion is this source is reliable as it has many recognised organisations and scientist who contributed to it therefore I believe the source is accurate and has published reliable information.
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3.1 Bibliography
[1] Smithsonian National Zoo Park (accessed on 06/03/10)
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/EndangeredSpecies/GLTProgram/InWild/CurrentStatus.cfm
[2] New Scientist (10/03/10)
‘Top 10: Conservation successes and failures’ by John Pickrell
(http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9963-top-10-conservation-successes-and-failures.html?full=true)
[3] IUCN red list (09/03/10)s
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/11506/0
[4] ARKive (09/03/10)
http://www.arkive.org/golden-lion-tamarin/leontopithecus-rosalia/info.html
[5] World Biomes (06/03/10)
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/golden_lion_tamarin.htm
[6] Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology for Edexcel AS-Biology- Topic 4, page 192-198
Published by A Pearson company Second edition, 2007
Written by Michael Reiss, Angela Hall, Nick Owens
[7] A primer of Conservation Genetics- Page 157
Published by Cambridge University Press First edition, 2004
Written by Richard Frankham, Jonathan D. Ballou, David A. Briscoe
[8] Smithsonian National Zoo Park (10/03/10)
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/EndangeredSpecies/CapBreedPops/default.cfm
[9] Bagheera (10/03/10)
http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_tamarin.htm
[10] Zoological Society of London (10/03/10)
http://www.zsl.org/conservation/conservation-programmes/conservation-breeding/
[11] Smithsonian National Zoo Park (10/03/10)
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/EndangeredSpecies/GLTProgram/ZooLife/CurrentStatus.cfm
[12] Facebook; ‘Save the Golden Lion Tamarins’ (14/03/10)
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=55913771311
[13] National Agricultural Library- ‘The welfare of mammals in zoos’ (10/03/10)
http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/zoo/welmam.pdf
[14] Smithsonian National Zoo Park (10/03/10)
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/EndangeredSpecies/GLTProgram/InWild/Translocation.cfm
[15] University Of Wisconsin; National Primate Research Centre (11/03/10)
http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/golden_lion_tamarin/cons
[16] Educause (12/03/10)
http://net.educause.edu/edudomain/
[17] Pipl (12/03/10)
http://pipl.com/directory/people/Richard/Frankham
[18]Guardian (11/03/10)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/05/endangeredspecies.conservation
