Species translocation
[1] The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) catalogs translocation projects and creates extensive guidelines for their design and execution around the globe.
Translocation may be expensive and is often subject to public scrutiny,[6] particularly when the species involved is charismatic or perceived as dangerous (for example wolf reintroduction).
[11] The rarest marsupial in the world, Gilbert's potoroo, has been successfully translocated to remote islands in Western Australia as "insurance populations".
[13] Two examples of critically endangered relict species for which assisted migration projects are already underway are the western swamp tortoise of Australia and a subcanopy conifer tree in the United States called Florida torreya.
[1] This mode of translocation is implemented in populations whose numbers have dropped below critical levels, become dangerously inbred, or who need artificial immigration to maintain genetic diversity.
Further notable considerations include assessing the capacity of the environment to sustain the desired population, and assuring translocated individuals have a diverse genetic makeup and are from a similar climatic or ecological area.
Morphological changes include altered dental health plus digestion struggle due to non-captive diets, and decreased defenses against predators.
[1] Individuals who are reintroduced can be caught from the wild and translocated to the new area or can come from captive breeding programs in zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, and similar organizations.
The concern involving genetics revolves around reintroduced individuals not having locally selected traits, which the extinct population most likely had.
Oftentimes the effectiveness of reintroductions are also questioned due to the lack of these considerations and neglected post release monitoring.
[17] Assisted colonization is the process of deliberately releasing endangered organism beyond its native habitat in order to prevent the extinction of its species.
This process of creating “insurance populations” is primarily used when the species faces current or future threats and prevention of them or protection from them is not deemed feasible.
[1] There are many examples of assisted colonization proving to be successful, but there are voices challenging the effectiveness of this process, highlighting potential unintended consequences.
These conflicts range from herbivores consuming plants in urban landscapes and agriculture, to carnivores hunting pets, livestock, or attacking humans.
Other reasons include economic gain from having a natural resource grown or cultivated in a new area, or for decorative displays.
Translocations could be especially damaging to endangered species citing the failed attempt of Bufo hemiophys baxteri in Wyoming and B. boreas in the Southern Rocky Mountains.
