Theoretical basis of species protection

The Noah’s Arch concept assumes that populations of endangered species kept in zoos and other rescue centers can be used for reintroduction programs in case of collaps of the free-living population. Therefore, it is necessary to know the demographic trends of natural populations, species distribution and the total number of individuals in world rescue centers (Frynta et al., 2009) as well as the genetic structure of captive populations (Palupčíková et al. 2012; Somerová et al., 2015). However, the selection of animals to be kept in zoos and included in the Noah’s Ark depends not only on ecological criteria, but also on audience-driven criteria such as aesthetic preferences (Frynta et al. 2010, 2013). Moreover, animal beauty is associated not only with the respondents’ willingness to protect the species but also with its attributed dangerousness and usefulness (Landová et al. 2018). Taken altogether, habitat requirements, population size, genetic diversity, and beauty as perceived by humans, all play a huge role in chances of species survival.

 


Frynta D., Marešová J., Landová E., Lišková S., Šimková O., Tichá I., Zelenková M., Fuchs R. (2009): Are zoo animals rather conspicuous than endangered? Pp: 299-341. Columbus A.M. and Kuznetsov L. (eds): Endangered species: new research. 380 pp. Nova Publishers, NY.

Frynta, D., Lišková, S., Bültmann, S., & Burda, H. (2010). Being attractive brings advantages: the case of parrot species in captivity. PloS one5(9), e12568.

Frynta, D., Šimková, O., Lišková, S., & Landová, E. (2013). Mammalian collection on Noah’s ark: the effects of beauty, brain and body size. PloS one, 8(5), e63110.

Landová, E., Poláková, P., Rádlová, S., Janovcová, M., Bobek, M., & Frynta, D. (2018). Beauty ranking of mammalian species kept in the Prague Zoo: does beauty of animals increase the respondents’ willingness to protect them?. The Science of Nature105(11), 1-14.

Palupčíková, K., Somerová, B., Protiva, T., Rehák, I., Velenský, P., Hulva, P., Gunalen, D., & Frynta, D. (2012). Genetic and shell-shape analyses of Orlitia borneensis (Testudines: Geoemydidae) reveal limited divergence among founders of the European zoo population. Zootaxa3280(1), 56-66.

Somerová, B., Rehák, I., Velenský, P., Palupčíková, K., Protiva, T., & Frynta, D. (2015). Haplotype variation in founders of the Mauremys annamensis population kept in European Zoos. Acta Herpetologica10(1), 7-15.

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