Audio long read: These animals are racing towards extinction. A new home might be their last chance
Sep 29, 2023
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Researchers are trialling the controversial strategy of assisted migration to save the endangered swamp tortoise. The aim is to test whether the animals can tolerate cooler climates and ensure their species' future. Attitudes towards assisted migration are changing, and similar projects are being conducted to protect animals at risk from climate change. The podcast discusses the concept of assisted migration and its potential benefits for endangered species, including cases of egg-laying reptiles, green sea turtles, mountain pygmy possums, and black-footed albatross chicks. Efforts to protect the swamp tortoise, its challenges, and uncertainties for juvenile tortoises are also explored.
Assisted migration is being tested as a strategy to ensure the survival of endangered species in new habitats with cooler climates.
Attitudes towards assisted migration are slowly changing as the urgency of climate change becomes more apparent, with conservationists increasingly willing to explore all available tools to prevent extinctions.
Deep dives
Assisted migration as a strategy to save endangered species
In a remote national park in Australia, researchers are testing the controversial strategy of assisted migration. They released captive-bred western swamp tortoises into a new habitat to determine if they can tolerate cooler climates. The aim is to ensure the species' survival as their native wetlands dry out due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall. While some conservationists have long resisted assisted migration due to potential risks of introducing invasive species or disrupting ecosystems, attitudes are slowly changing as the urgency of climate change becomes apparent.
Other species being considered for assisted migration
Apart from the western swamp tortoises, other species are also being considered for assisted migration due to climate change. Researchers in Australia are working on the relocation of critically endangered pygmy possums to lower elevations with occasional snow, and in Hawaii, efforts are being made to move seabird species to higher ground to protect them from rising seas. Although assisted migration poses risks and regulatory hurdles, conservationists are increasingly willing to explore all available tools to prevent extinctions.
Controversies and challenges of assisted migration
Assisted migration is a hotly debated topic in conservation. While some researchers have become more accepting of the idea, others express concerns about potential risks and the need for global standards to guide its responsible implementation. Government agencies have been slow to recognize assisted migration as a valid option in threatened species recovery plans, but progress is being made in developing frameworks and regulations. Additionally, discussions are needed to ensure decision-making includes diverse perspectives, including those of Indigenous communities.
Australia's swamp tortoise is one of the most endangered species in the world. This species lives in wetlands that are under threat due to rising temperatures and a reduction in rainfall.
In an effort to save the tortoise, researchers are trialling a controversial strategy called assisted migration. This approach has seen captive-bred tortoises released in other wetlands some 330 kilometres south of where they are naturally found. The aim is to see whether the animals can tolerate cooler climates, and whether this new habitat might ensure the species’ future as the planet warms.
While many conservation biologists and land managers have long resisted the idea of assisted migration, attitudes are changing and other projects are beginning to test whether it can protect protect animals at risk from climate change.