Reference no: EM133195331 , Length: Word count: 2 Pages

Assignment Task 1: The Captive Breeding Debate

Captive breeding is a conservation tool that involves taking an animal into captivity (for example, at a zoo) and encouraging the animal to breed and increase in numbers. The eventual goal of such a program is to release the captives back into the wild, in order to prevent it from becoming extinct. In this essay, you will consider whether or not this is a wise conservation approach.

1. Discuss some of the benefits to captive breeding of endangered species. Include concrete examples of captive breeding programs that have demonstrated those benefits.

2. Discuss some of the drawbacks to captive breeding programs. Include concrete examples of captive breeding programs that have shown these drawbacks.

3. In your assessment, do you think that captive breeding programs should be a component of efforts to restore endangered species?

4. If you do not think captive breeding programs should be implemented, explain your reasoning clearly.

5.  If you do think there is a place for captive breeding, under what circumstances ought it to be considered? Propose a checklist or specific guidelines you would recommend be used in determining whether or not to proceed with such a program.

Requirements:

• Your written paper should be 2-3 pages, not counting the title and reference pages, which you must include.

Assignment Task 2: Captive Breeding Case Study

Captive breeding is a conservation tool that involves taking an animal into captivity (for example, at a zoo) and encouraging the animal to breed and increase in numbers. The eventual goal of such a program is to release the captives back into the wild, in order to prevent it from becoming extinct. In this essay, you will identify and explore an instance in which captive breeding has been used, or is being used, in a bid to restore the population of an endangered species.

1. First, you will need to select an endangered species to research. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) maintains a list of endangered and threatened species. Choose a species that interests you.

2. Conduct research on efforts to use captive breeding to restore the species you have selected. If you are unable to locate information on an existing or proposed captive breeding program for that species, return to the WWF list and choose a different one.

3. Research the process that has been followed, or proposed to be followed, to use captive breeding to bring back your species. What have the successes been with the program? What challenges has the program faced?

4. In your assessment, has the captive breeding program been a success? If not, why not?

5. What is your recommendation for the future of a captive breeding program for this species? Should it continue on its current path? Should changes be made to enhance its likelihood of success? Support your recommendations with credible or scholarly sources.