7 - Strategies

Summary

The IUCN and many other organizations and governments maintain databases tracking the status of species. Legislation and international agreements regulate immediate causes of rarity such as exploitation and habitat loss. Preservationist species conservation aims to minimize proximate causes of mortality with measures such as reducing insect herbivory on young Pitcher’s thistles or nest parasitism by cowbirds on Kirtland’s warblers. Intrinsic limits on population growth are managed through interventions such as headstarting marine turtles, replacement clutching and cross-fostering whooping cranes and brush-tailed rock wallabies, removing raptor chicks at risk of fratricide, as well as genetic management combined with captive breeding, reintroduction, and translocation of red kites, brown bears, and California condors. Genetic management of rare populations strives to minimize problems from both inbreeding and genetic swamping. Designations of species as indicators, umbrellas, keystones, or flagships are used to prioritize species for protection and intervention.