Reintroducing Endangered Species into the Wild
There are countless stories of the plight of threatened and endangered animals. Some of the most compelling ones are about creatures that have nearly or entirely disappeared from the forests, grasslands, mountains, and oceans where they’ve lived for generations.
When this tipping point is reached, the work of animal conservation organizations can make a critical difference. Here are six success stories in which animals have been helped to become reestablished in the land of their ancestors and to thrive once again.
Blue wildebeests
Until the middle of the 20th century, these majestic mammals roamed the Serengeti plains in Tanzania in large numbers, obtaining their nutrition from the plentiful ground vegetation. Subsequently, viruses from livestock drastically reduced their population to approximately 300,000.
As a consequence, the grasses that they normally fed on were destroyed by wildfires. This impacted about 80% of the ecosystem and released harmful greenhouse gases. Thanks to 10 years of hard work to bring diseases affecting the population under control, blue wildebeests are now more than 1.5 million strong, and the Serengeti landscape has returned to its historic role as a natural place for carbon storage, mitigating the effects of climate change.
Cheetahs
Cheetahs called India home until their extinction from this part of the world in 1952. These were a subspecies, known as the Asiatic cheetah, that inhabited the country. Their dramatic decline is attributed to several factors. They include food scarcity, as prey species declined, habitat loss when land was cleared for human settlements and agriculture and hunting when this fast-moving mammal was sought after by wealthy hunting parties.
In 2022, a small number of Southeast African cheetahs were introduced under an arrangement with the government of Namibia. This is in support of India’s five-year plan to restore their cheetah population. The goal is that the species will enhance the country’s biodiversity.
Eurasian beavers
This variety of beaver used to be extremely common across Asia and Europe. Since Eurasian beavers were aggressively hunted for their meat and fur, they died out in many countries by the 1500s. The loss of this small mammal was significant in that its presence had a beneficial impact on the environment.
For instance, would you believe a beaver dam can reduce the harm caused by flooding by some 60%? This is because it slows water flow and, therefore, protects infrastructure and property downstream from damage. And, beaver dams are known to capture carbon by creating wetlands. Initiatives to reintroduce this species throughout this part of the world is spurred on by efforts in the United Kingdom.
European bison
The European bison was plentiful until the early 1900s. What led to their near extinction was a combination of threats. Human encroachment for forest logging and other reasons led to the degradation and fragmentation of the large mammal’s habitat. Overhunting and poaching further reduced the population.
Encouragingly, these creatures are now doing well in conservation areas set up for their preservation by many European nations. The Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom have all implemented programs to release bison into the wild. The resulting grazing behavior of the animals is gradually restoring the biodiversity of these ecosystems.
Black-footed ferret
In 1967, the black-footed ferret was declared threatened in the United States. These small animals fell prey to human activity when there was a concerted effort to exterminate their main food source: prairie dogs. At one point, the species was thought to be extinct, but in 1981 they were found in Wyoming. These 18 individuals were believed to be the only ferrets worldwide.
The small population was captured and held in a breeding program until their numbers grew so they could reestablish themselves in the wild. Supported by cloning efforts and habitat protection, conservationists were able to restore them to about 300 and return them to their natural habitat.
Grey wolves
Grey wolves have always been an integral part of the ecosystem, so when the only remaining wolf pack was destroyed in 1926 in Yellowstone National Park, it had a detrimental impact. At the time, the policy was to eradicate predators from the park, but this caused an imbalance such that elk that the grey wolf preyed upon increased in number.
When elk populations overgrazed on particular species of trees, this changed conditions for beavers and songbirds. Birds had fewer places to nest and live, while beavers weren’t able to make dams on eroding riverbanks. In turn, water temperatures increased and affected cold-water fish. With the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone in 1995, the ecosystem immediately began to turn around.
In closing
These accounts of the blue wildebeest, cheetah, Eurasian beaver, European bison, black-footed ferret, and grey wolf are just a few examples of how species can be supported to regain their place in the natural world.