EXETER, England, Jan. 21 A British study has discovered only one-in-three captive-born carnivores can survive in the wild, with most deaths caused by human activities.
Researchers at the University of Exeter said their finding highlights the problems of reintroducing animals to the wild for conservation projects.
The researchers reviewed 45 case studies, involving 17 carnivore species. They found only 30 percent of captive animals released survived, with more than half the deaths caused by humans in incidents such as shootings and car accidents. The animals were also more susceptible to starvation and disease than their wild counterparts and less able to form successful social groups.
"Animals in captivity do not usually have the natural behaviors needed for success in the wild," said the study's lead author Kristen Jule. "Their lack of hunting skills and their lack of fear towards humans, for example, are major disadvantages.
The next step is for scientists, conservationists and animal welfare groups to develop guidelines to help captive animals prepare for a new life in the wild."
The study appears online in the journal Biological Conservation.
Copyright 2008 by UPI
