Aquarium, AG Zoologischer Garten, Köln, Germany.
Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Zoo Biol. 2022 May;41(3):244-262. doi: 10.1002/zoo.21661. Epub 2021 Dec 6.
Madagascar's biota is characterized by an extraordinary species richness, with a high degree of endemism. The island's freshwater habitats harbor numerous micro-endemic species, restricted to particular regions and thus particularly at risk of extinction, due to deforestation, overfishing, and introduction of exotic species. The present study investigates for which threatened Malagasy freshwater fish species ex situ populations have already been established, as a baseline to prioritize actions to develop an effective ex situ conservation breeding network. Populations in zoos and aquaria were primarily determined using the Zoological Information System. Of 173 fish species recorded from Malagasy freshwater habitats, 123 exclusively inhabit freshwater; 79 of these are endemic to Madagascar, and 50 are classified as threatened. Our survey found 21 Malagasy freshwater fish species kept in zoos worldwide, of which 19 are endemic and threatened (22 if counting species kept by private breeders). Nine of the 19 Malagasy freshwater fish species kept in zoos have successfully reproduced within the 12 months preceding our survey. The ex situ conservation activities for threatened Malagasy freshwater fishes thus have not improved significantly since the strong start in the early 2000s. More than half of the 50 threatened endemic Malagasy freshwater fish species (viz. 31 species) are not kept ex situ, including 11 species ranked as Critically Endangered. Based on these findings we call for a better distribution of offspring among institutions, including private breeders in the framework of citizen conservation initiatives; a closer connection of ichthyological field research in Madagascar with conservation breeding efforts to set up ex situ populations-both in Madagascar and abroad-of species not yet kept in captivity; and the development of effective, integrated in situ and ex situ conservation strategies.
马达加斯加的生物区系以其非凡的物种丰富度为特征，具有高度的特有性。该岛的淡水生境拥有众多的微型特有物种，这些物种仅限于特定地区，因此特别容易灭绝，原因包括森林砍伐、过度捕捞和引入外来物种。本研究调查了哪些受到威胁的马达加斯加淡水鱼类已经建立了就地种群，作为确定优先行动的基线，以建立有效的就地保护繁殖网络。动物园和水族馆的种群主要通过动物学信息系统确定。在记录的 173 种马达加斯加水生鱼类中，有 123 种仅栖息于淡水；其中 79 种是马达加斯加特有的，50 种被列为受威胁的。我们的调查发现，全世界有 21 种马达加斯加淡水鱼类在动物园饲养，其中 19 种是特有种和受威胁的（如果将私人饲养者饲养的物种也算在内，则为 22 种）。在我们调查之前的 12 个月内，有 9 种在动物园饲养的马达加斯加淡水鱼类成功繁殖。自 21 世纪初以来，受威胁的马达加斯加淡水鱼类的就地保护活动并没有显著改善。超过一半的 50 种受威胁的特有马达加斯加淡水鱼类（即 31 种）没有被就地保护，其中包括 11 种被列为极危物种。基于这些发现，我们呼吁在包括私营饲养者在内的公民保护倡议框架内，更好地在机构之间分配后代；在马达加斯加进行鱼类实地研究与保护繁殖工作之间建立更紧密的联系，以便在马达加斯加和国外建立尚未被圈养的物种的就地种群；并制定有效的综合就地和就地保护战略。
