In-situ conservation

In-situ conservation means "on-site conservation". It is the process of protecting an endangered plant or animal species in its natural habitat, either by protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself, or by defending the species from predators. The benefit to in-situ conservation is that it maintains recovering populations in the surrounding where they have developed their distinctive properties. As a last resort, ex-situ conservation may be used on some or all of the population, when in-situ conservation is too difficult, or impossible.

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Wildlife conservation is mostly based on in situ conservation. This involves the protection of wildlife habitats. Also, sufficiently large reserves are maintained to enable the target species to exist in large numbers. The population size must be sufficient to enable the necessary genetic diversity to survive within the population, so that it has a good chance of continuing to adapt and evolve over time. This reserve size can be calculated for target species by examining the population density in naturally-occurring situations. The reserves must then be protected from intrusion, or destruction by man, and against other catastrophes.

See also

• Extinction
• Conservation biology
• Wildlife conservation
• World Conservation Union (IUCN)
• Reintroduction
• Food plot - the practice of planting crops specifically to support wildlife
• Habitat fragmentation
• Wildlife corridor
• Regional Red List

• Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, IUCN: CBSG “PHVA” Reports (Population and Habitat Viability Assessment)

• The World Wide Fund for Nature
• African Wild Dog Conservancy
• ONLINE BOOK: “In situ conservation of livestock and poultry”, 1992, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations Environment Programme

Other references

• Heywood, V.H. and M.E. Dullo (2005). In situ conservation of wild plant species a critical global review of good practices. FAO, IPGRI (International Plant Genetic Resources Institute) Rome, Italy.  174 p.
• Jarvis, D.I., L. Meyer, H. Klemick, L. Guarino, M. Smale, A.H.D. Brown, M. Sadiki, B. Sthapit and T. Hodgkin (2000). A Training Guide for In Situ Conservation On-farm. IPGRI, BMZ, Development Cooperation (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs), FAO, GRST, GTZ, IDRC, SDC.  161 p.
• Jarvis, D., B. Sthapit and L. Sears, editors. (2000). Conserving agricultural biodiversity in situ: A scientific basis for sustainable agriculture.. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Italy..