Conservation

Conservation is the protection and careful management of species, habitats and ecosystems so that biodiversity is maintained for the future. It is not the same as preservation: conservation often involves active work, such as managing habitats or breeding animals, rather than simply leaving an area alone.Species need conserving because human activity is driving them towards extinction. The biggest single threat is habitat loss, for example forest cleared for farming or building. Other threats include overexploitation (overfishing, hunting and poaching), pollution, climate change and invasive non-native species.The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) publishes the Red List, which classifies species by their risk of extinction, from Least Concern through Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered to Extinct in the Wild and Extinct. This helps decide which species need action first.There are two broad approaches:
• In situ conservation: protecting a species in its natural habitat, for example in a nature reserve or national park.
• Ex situ conservation: protecting a species outside its natural habitat, for example in a zoo, botanic garden or seed bank.A good conservation plan keeps large populations so that genetic diversity is maintained. A genetically diverse population is more likely to contain individuals able to survive new diseases or a changing climate. In practice the two approaches are often combined: ex situ populations act as a backup and can later be returned to the wild once their habitat is safe.