The National Oceanic And Atmospheric Association Defines...

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association defines captive breeding as â€Å"Raising animals (or plants) in controlled conditions to produce stock for subsequent release into the wild.† Some captive breeding programs include departments within zoos, rescues, and sanctuaries where animals or plants are kept in enclosures and bred to produce future generations of their species. The focus of captive breeding programs is on rare, threatened, and endangered species therefore, it is used as a much-needed last resort strategy. The use of captive breeding for species conservation has become an integral part of the global conservation plan and is employed by modern conservationists. Environmentalist, Robert Swan, once said that â€Å"The greatest†¦show more content†¦The main goal of captive breeding is to help conserve animals that are endangered or threatened in the wild so that a species does not become extinct. By holding the worlds species in captivity, we can save their genetic material from complete elimination. Other advantages of captured breeding include the following: â€Å"A recreation of the natural habitat, protection from predators, and a decrease in illness or malnutrition† that they would otherwise suffer from in the wild (Primrack, 361). Breeding programs also enrich the populations of animal species. Cross breeding can increase the gene pool of an animal’s species, and most importantly, animals that are hurt, injured, or need intense care will receive it in captivity. Captive breeding focuses mainly on threatened species with low diversity. For example, there are many bird species that are declining in population more a nd more every day. The threats that have led to their decline include habitat loss, degradation, invasive species, and exploitation. Researchers found that, â€Å"Sixteen species of birds would have gone extinct in the absence of conservation intervention† (Butchart, 268). Overall, captive breeding slowed their rate of decline and prevented extinction by successfully addressing main threats, such as habitat destruction and pollution. Captive breeding may be a last resort solution however, with the rapid increase of natural