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The number of threatened (i.e. Endangered, Vulnerable, Rare) organisms for which there are ex situ research programs (e.g. captive breeding and propagation) compared with the total number of threatened organisms. Also, the number of releases to the wild of organisms raised by ex situ breeding programs compared with the number of ex situ breeding programs for threatened organisms. The ultimate objective of management and protection of biological diversity is to maintain all the elements in the wild. However, for some elements of biological diversity this is no longer possible, so ex situ (outside the original habitat) research and development is aimed at maintaining populations of threatened species in zoos and botanic gardens and breeding and propagating for release back into the wild. The indicator will measure the extent to which resources are committed to ex situ breeding programs relative to the need, and the relative contribution such programs are making to conservation in situ (in the wild). In 2001, 601 species (i.e. excluding species listed as Extinct) were listed as threatened on the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 of which five (<1 %) had ex situ research programs. Ex situ (outside the original habitat) conservation programs operating in Tasmania, 2001 Taxonomic group Threatened
Number of
Threatened
Broadleaved plants 254 2 Davies' wax flower
(Phebalium daviesii)
Stuart's heath
(Epacris stuartii) Grasses, sedges, lilies 154 0 - Conifers 2 0 - Ferns 17 0 - Algae 1 0 - Lichen 8 0 - Mammals 8 0 -- Birds 24 2 Orange-bellied parrot
(Neophema chrysogaster)
Swift parrot
(Lathamus discolor) Reptiles 6 0 - Amphibians 1 0 - Freshwater fish 12 0 - Saltwater fish 2 1 Spotted handfish
(Brachionichthys hirsutus) Invertebrates 112 0 - Total 601 5 - Source: Threatened Species Unit, DPIWE and CSIRO Division of Marine Research. Captive breeding (for animals) and propagation programs (for plants) in Tasmania, 2001. Taxonomic group Species Number bred/ propagated Broadleaved plants Davies' wax
This is an ongoing propagation project, administered by DPIWE, which began in 1991. Since then hundreds of plants have been propagated. They have been re-released into the wild and distributed to the general public. Stuart's heath
This is an ongoing propagation project, administered by DPIWE, which began in 1991. Since then hundreds of plants have been propagated. They have been re-released into the wild and have been sold through various outlets. Birds Orange-bellied parrot
(Neophema chrysogaster) Between 1985 and 2001, 485 birds were bred under a program administered by DPIWE. The captive breeding population is spread across four captive breeding facilities: two in Victoria, one in South Australia and one in Tasmania. Tasmania has about half the captive breeding population. Source: Threatened Species Unit, DPIWE. Release data - including records of successes or failures, 2001. Key Biodiversity Indicator BD 16.1 & 16.2 (Saunders et. al. 1988) |
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