18.3.3—Ex situ and protected-area conservation

In situ conservation protects a species in its natural habitat. Ex situ conservation protects organisms or their genetic material outside the original habitat when in situ protection is not sufficient or possible.

• Protected areas (in situ) — national and marine parks protect habitats and species through controls on access, development, hunting, overfishing or pollution; the natural support systems remain available.
• Zoos and botanic gardens (ex situ) — captive populations support conservation, research and education, and may provide material for future reintroduction; suitable conditions and genetic diversity must be maintained.
• Frozen zoos and gene banks (ex situ) — animal eggs, sperm or tissues can be stored at very low temperature to preserve genetic material from different individuals.
• Seed banks (ex situ) — dried seeds are stored under controlled conditions to conserve plant genetic diversity and allow future regrowth; some plants require continued growth or tissue culture instead of freezing.

Choose the method to match the threat and biological need. In situ protection maintains the whole habitat but depends on effective management and community acceptance. Ex situ storage or captivity can protect a small or isolated population, but it costs resources, may not reproduce the natural habitat, and small captive populations can lose genetic diversity. Long-term success also depends on a suitable habitat or use for the conserved material.

In situ and ex situ methods are complementary, not interchangeable. This card compares conservation settings and genetic-resource storage; assisted-reproduction procedures, invasive-species control and IUCN/CITES roles are separate cards.