Wildlife translocations have historically assisted in establishing or re-establishing species in areas of extinction and while at the same time may also poses risks to the existing population at the recipient site.

1. Risk and Benefits of Translocation for
conservation goal (A Term Paper on EES 603 Biodiversity
Conservation and Restoration )
PRESENTED BY
Nikesh Kathayat
M.Sc. Forestry Second
Semester
FoF, Hetauda Campus
Submitted To
Evaluation Committee
FACULTY OF FORESTRY
HETAUDA CAMPUS
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

2. INTRODUCTION
• Movement of living organisms from one area
with free release in another (IUCN 1987).
• Categorization of Translocation (IUCN 1987):
1. Introduction: Not known to have existed
previously
2. Reintroduction: Released from which it has
disappeared
3. Restocking: Added to existing population
Source : The Kantipur Pos

3. STATUS
Blackbuck
• Reintroduction effort in nepal dates back to 1977
• 8 blackbucks from Khairapur to Baghaura phanta in Bardia NP
• 28 blackbucks were reintroduced in Hirapur Phanta in Shuklaphanta National Park
Rhino
• 13 rhinos were reintroduced from Chitwan National Park to Bardia National Park in
1986.
• Since 1986, a total of 100 rhinos have been translocated to BaNP and Sh.NP
Wild water buffalo
• 15 wild water buffalo were translocated to Chitwan National park in 2017

4. Gharial
• Gharial conservation breeding centre first batch of 50 captive
bred gharials released in Narayani in 1981.
• Since then 1246 gharials released to different river systems
Swamp deer
• Altogether 7 swamp deer translocated in Padampur block in the
eastern sector of the chitwan national park from shuklaphanta
national park
Vulture
• In 2017, reintroduction of the captive-bred endangered vulture
carried out for the first time.
• Further releases of captive-bred vultures are also planned.
Source: WWF, 2017

5. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING TRANSLOCATION PROJECTS
(SOURCE: Perez I et al., 2012)

6. Benefits of Translocation
Translocation has a number of other important benefits:
• Provide opportunities for more in-depth scientific research.
• Reintroduction (via translocation) aims to restore a habitat to its natural state
• Establish a healthy, genetically diverse, self-sustaining population
• Add genetic diversity to an existing population.

7. RISK CONSEQUENCE MITIGATION
Outbreeding
depression
Decreased fitness of offspring from
crosses
Evaluate in preliminary crosses,
compensate through higher numbers;
Obtain genetic data
Replacement of
recipient genetic
background
Loss of uniqueness, local
adaptability
Restrict donor numbers to minimize
impact if considered a threa
Disease transmission Spread of disease could have
disastrous consequences
Ensure only healthy material is
translocated; If appropriate,
quarantine prior to release
Inbreeding and
genetic load
Loss of genetic diversity, decreased
fitness, increased extinction risk
Increase potential for gene flow;
controlled crossing strategy to
minimize inbreeding
Environmental change
in remnant population
Loss of evolvability, increased
extinction risk
Consider other translocation sites;
Consider captive breeding as
insurance
Source: Weeks et al.

8. SIMPLE RISK-ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR
TRANSLOCATIONS

9. CONCLUSION
• Most powerful tools for biodiversity conservation, as habitat loss, introduced
species, disease epidemics and climate change
• Should only be attempted when a suitable unoccupied habitat exists.
• Provide an insurance mechanism for populations to adapt to future conditions
• However, risks need to be weighed carefully on a case-by-case basis.
• And Extensive post-translocation monitoring required to ensure normal
growth

10. REFERENCES
• Armstrong DP and Seddon PJ. 2008. Directions in reintroduction biology. Trends Ecol
Evol 23: 20–25.
• Bajomi B , Pullin AS , Stewart GB , et al. 2010. Bias and dispersal in the animal
reintroduction literature. Oryx 44: 358–65.
• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). 1987. IUCN position statement
on translocation of living organisms: introductions, reintroductions and re-stocking. Gland,
Switzerland: IUCN.
• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). 1998. IUCN guidelines for re-
introductions. Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK: IUCN.
• Weeks RA, SGRO CM, Young A. 2011. Assessing the benefits and risks of translocations
in changing environments: a genetic perspective