Conservation

Scientists, governments and concerned citizens use conservation programmes to reduce damage, protect species and restore habitats. A successful programme usually tackles either the immediate danger to a species, the loss of its habitat, or the human activity causing the damage.

Animal conservation aims to prevent species, particularly endangered ones, from becoming extinct. Protecting habitats and reducing poaching give wild animals a better chance of surviving and breeding. Controlled breeding programmes can increase the numbers of threatened animals; in some cases, animals may later be reintroduced into the wild if a suitable habitat exists.

Conservation can also focus on an individual species: restricting hunting reduces the number killed, while a breeding programme may help prevent an endangered species from becoming extinct. These actions address different parts of the same problem. Protecting animals without protecting the habitat they need may not secure their future; protecting a habitat can support many species at once.