Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Zoos contribute to ex situ conservation of taxa affected by habitat loss and wildlife trade, including parrots, but their success in maintaining viable populations remains unclear. This study assessed the role of zoos in the ex situ maintenance and reproduction of Brazilian parrot species over 2004–2024 using Zoological Information Management System demographic records, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) trade data and International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List categories. Generalized linear mixed models, generalized additive models and generalized additive mixed models tested effects of population growth, threat status, sex ratio and extinction risk in relation to trade intensity. Ex situ populations showed no consistent demographic growth. Hatching rates declined over time, and per capita net population change was near zero or negative for most species, with populations often sustained by acquisitions rather than reproduction. More threatened species did not show higher reproductive success under captive management. Sex ratio was associated with population dynamics, with more favourable outcomes near balanced ratios. International trade was positively associated with extinction risk, with species at higher threat levels appearing more frequently in trade records. These findings show that captive population growth is uneven across species and highlight the need for integrated demographic, welfare, genetic and trade management to improve conservation outcomes.
Source: Royal Society Open Science
DOI: 10.1098/rsos.261135
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,471
OpenAlex ID: W7225756364