Endangered species reduced to just dozens or a handful of individuals may be able to bounce back and avoid extinction entirely, despite concerns and skepticism.
That’s according to new research published by scientists at Australia’s Monash University and the Zoological Society of London.
The study found that interventions to preserve species even when they’ve been reduced to 50 individuals or fewer can succeed, and often beyond conservationists’ expectations.
The findings have implications for conservation efforts seeking to ‘triage’ species, focusing efforts on some while abandoning other endangered species populations to their fate.
“For decades, conservation decisions have been influenced by the idea that once a population drops below a certain threshold, recovery is severely inhibited by smallness itself due to genetic or demographic factors,” Monash University biologist Dr Donal Smith said.
“Our work shows that population size alone shouldn’t determine whether we give up on a species. When we actively tackle the external pressures driving their decline and directly support their numbers, small populations show a striking capability to recover.”
The study looked at 141 endangered bird species found throughout the world, tracking restoration efforts and how some were successful even as species’ numbers had dwindled to 50 individuals or fewer.
Interventions led to recoveries to more than 100 individuals in 61% of the cases reviewed.
