Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions
To manage populations of threatened species according to the IUCN’s One Plan Approach, knowledge about both in situ and ex situ populations is required. To enhance the conservation of threatened skinks and to gain an overview which skink species are kept in zoos, and thus already have an ex situ con...
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doaj-e10b09a4d70143b3bb913e8619f514e62021-09-19T04:58:05ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942021-10-0130e01800Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutionsAnna Wahle0Dennis Rödder1David G. Chapple2Shai Meiri3Anna Rauhaus4Thomas Ziegler5University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany; Cologne Zoo, Riehler Str. 173, D-50735 Cologne, GermanyZoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Sektion Herpetologie, Adenauerallee 160, D-53113 Bonn, GermanySchool of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, AustraliaSchool of Zoology and Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelCologne Zoo, Riehler Str. 173, D-50735 Cologne, GermanyCologne Zoo, Riehler Str. 173, D-50735 Cologne, Germany; University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany; Correspondence to: Cologne Zoo, Riehler Straße 173, 50735 Köln, Germany.To manage populations of threatened species according to the IUCN’s One Plan Approach, knowledge about both in situ and ex situ populations is required. To enhance the conservation of threatened skinks and to gain an overview which skink species are kept in zoos, and thus already have an ex situ conservation component, we analysed data from the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS): their individual numbers, breeding success, and the number of holding institutions. We categorised species as threatened or non-threatened based on IUCN Red List assessments. Only 92 (~5%) of 1727 recognized skink species are held in ZIMS institutions worldwide, mostly in Australia, Europe, and North America. 77% of the species kept globally are classified as non-threatened and ~23% (21 species) are threatened. Only 28% of the species kept have successfully bred in the last year, mostly in one zoo each. Of these seven species were threatened. All threatened species are kept by four zoos at most, generally only in one. Half of the skink species kept are represented by less than 10 individuals. Mainly Australian skink species were kept. To improve the conservation of threatened skinks, a shift towards keeping threatened species should be considered within captive management programmes. European and North American zoos offer capacities and expertise for skink conservation but are outside skink species richness hotspots. Cooperative projects with institutions and stations in such hotspots could greatly benefit the conservation of skinks. Thus, according to the One Plan Approach, the ex situ populations could directly contribute to in situ protection.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421003504Conservation breedingex situ populationsSkinksSpecies selectionZIMSZoos |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Anna Wahle Dennis Rödder David G. Chapple Shai Meiri Anna Rauhaus Thomas Ziegler |
spellingShingle |
Anna Wahle Dennis Rödder David G. Chapple Shai Meiri Anna Rauhaus Thomas Ziegler Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions Global Ecology and Conservation Conservation breeding ex situ populations Skinks Species selection ZIMS Zoos |
author_facet |
Anna Wahle Dennis Rödder David G. Chapple Shai Meiri Anna Rauhaus Thomas Ziegler |
author_sort |
Anna Wahle |
title |
Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions |
title_short |
Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions |
title_full |
Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions |
title_fullStr |
Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions |
title_sort |
skinks in zoos: a global approach on distribution patterns of threatened scincidae in zoological institutions |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Global Ecology and Conservation |
issn |
2351-9894 |
publishDate |
2021-10-01 |
description |
To manage populations of threatened species according to the IUCN’s One Plan Approach, knowledge about both in situ and ex situ populations is required. To enhance the conservation of threatened skinks and to gain an overview which skink species are kept in zoos, and thus already have an ex situ conservation component, we analysed data from the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS): their individual numbers, breeding success, and the number of holding institutions. We categorised species as threatened or non-threatened based on IUCN Red List assessments. Only 92 (~5%) of 1727 recognized skink species are held in ZIMS institutions worldwide, mostly in Australia, Europe, and North America. 77% of the species kept globally are classified as non-threatened and ~23% (21 species) are threatened. Only 28% of the species kept have successfully bred in the last year, mostly in one zoo each. Of these seven species were threatened. All threatened species are kept by four zoos at most, generally only in one. Half of the skink species kept are represented by less than 10 individuals. Mainly Australian skink species were kept. To improve the conservation of threatened skinks, a shift towards keeping threatened species should be considered within captive management programmes. European and North American zoos offer capacities and expertise for skink conservation but are outside skink species richness hotspots. Cooperative projects with institutions and stations in such hotspots could greatly benefit the conservation of skinks. Thus, according to the One Plan Approach, the ex situ populations could directly contribute to in situ protection. |
topic |
Conservation breeding ex situ populations Skinks Species selection ZIMS Zoos |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421003504 |
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