Wildlife Translocation Programmes [UPSC Notes]

Wildlife translocation programmes have been in the news of late with cheetahs being reintroduced into India from Namibia and South Africa. In this context, we discuss the importance of incorporating the human dimension into wildlife relocation programmes to make them more beneficial. This topic is relevant for the IAS exam environment and ecology segment.

What is Wildlife Translocation?

It is a conservation technique that involves moving animals intentionally to prevent the loss and depletion of endangered species.

• The success of this process is contingent on several factors, including the ability of the species to adjust to its new environment, breed successfully, and the resources allocated to the translocation.
• If a translocation programme fails, it can result in loss of resources, extinction or extirpation of whole populations or species, and a lack of trust among stakeholders.

Results of a few recent translocation programmes:

• Successful translocation of Cheetahs from South Africa to Liwonde National Park in Malawi in 2017.
• The Government of India’s ongoing Project Cheetah has faced setbacks.
  • Death of cheetahs brought to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park from South Africa and also the death of Namibian cheetahs at Kuno National Park.

Wildlife Translocation and Anthropogenic Angle

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognizes the importance of human dimensions and suggests that they should be integral to the design, implementation, and evaluation of wildlife translocations.

• However, despite this recognition, many conservation initiatives still overlook these factors.
• A Study by the University of California-Berkeley: 
  • It reveals that including human dimension objectives in translocation efforts significantly increases the likelihood of a positive outcome compared to those without such objectives.
  • The study identified six key strategies for including human dimension objectives, such as
    • Education:
      • Education was the most common strategy used to include human dimension objectives, which suggests that providing information and raising awareness about translocation efforts and their benefits can increase their success.
    • Engaging locals:
      • Engaging locals, which was the second most common strategy, involves involving and working with local communities in translocation efforts, which can help to build trust and support for the initiatives.
    • Providing economic benefits:
      • Providing economic benefits, such as jobs or financial incentives, can also increase the success of translocation efforts by giving local communities a stake in their success. 
    • Increasing social tolerance:
      • Increasing social tolerance involves addressing any conflicts between wildlife and people that might arise as a result of translocation efforts.
    • Enforcing regulations:
      • Enforcing regulations can help to ensure that translocation efforts comply with local laws and regulations.
    • Supplying cultural benefits:
      • Supplying cultural benefits can help to preserve and promote cultural practices that are related to wildlife, such as traditional hunting or fishing practices.
  • The study also concluded that in wildlife translocations for conservation purposes, it is important to take into account various factors such as,
    • human-related factors (e.g., involving local communities in the process),
    • biological factors (e.g., ensuring that the animal is compatible with the new environment), and
    • environmental considerations (e.g., ensuring that the new environment can support the animal).
  • Considering all these factors increases the chances of successfully relocating wildlife for conservation purposes.

Wildlife Translocation Programmes [UPSC Notes]:- Download PDF Here