Conserving and safeguarding the entire ecosystem ensures the preservation of biodiversity at all levels, illustrating the principle of "saving the entire forest to protect the tiger." This approach is known as in situ (on-site) conservation. However, in certain cases where a particular animal or plant species is at risk of extinction and requires immediate intervention, ex situ (off-site) conservation becomes the preferred method. In situ conservation involves protecting the natural habitat and the various organisms that inhabit it, ensuring the continuity of their ecological processes. By preserving the ecosystem as a whole, we indirectly safeguard the survival of individual species, such as the tiger in the forest example. On the other hand, ex situ conservation focuses on taking endangered or threatened species out of their natural environment and placing them in specialised facilities, such as botanical gardens, zoos, or seed banks. This approach is essential when the species faces imminent extinction and requires immediate and dedicated efforts for its survival. These off-site facilities provide a controlled environment where proper care and breeding programs can be implemented to enhance the species' chances of survival and eventual reintroduction into the wild if possible.
What is the primary goal of in situ conservation?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Protection and conservation of species within their natural habitats
The passage states that in situ conservation involves “protecting the natural habitat and the various organisms that inhabit it”, and that by preserving the ecosystem as a whole we safeguard individual species such as the tiger. So its goal is to protect species within their natural habitats.
Option (1) Protecting individual species outside their natural habitat — Incorrect. Protecting species outside their natural habitat is ex situ (off site) conservation, the opposite approach.
Option (2) Protection and conservation of species within their natural habitats — Correct. In situ conservation keeps species in the place where they naturally live, by protecting the whole ecosystem around them.
Option (3) Breeding endangered species in captivity — Incorrect. Breeding endangered species in captivity is done in special facilities such as zoos, which is ex situ conservation.
Option (4) Establishing seed banks for future use — Incorrect. Seed banks keep seeds away from the natural habitat for future use, so they are an ex situ method.