Reach and Effectiveness of Conservation Translocations When Founder Animals Are Sourced From Zoos

ABSTRACT Conservation translocations (e.g., reintroductions) are an important tool to replenish wildlife populations and manage biodiversity in lieu of emerging threats around the globe. Determining available and effective founder animal sources and evaluating outcomes in conservation translocations are critical to help mitigate challenges and maximize opportunities. Zoos and aquaria have a history of broad conservation engagement, but a global assessment of conservation translocations that used zoo‐sourced founder animals is lacking. We reviewed publications of conservation translocations that sourced founders from zoos ( n = 117) and qualitatively and quantitatively assessed global trends and factors associated with post‐release monitoring (PRM) duration and author‐perceived project outcomes. Confirmed reproduction occurring in recipient population(s) was associated with longer PRM durations. Projects having long‐term objectives and ex situ animal preconditioning (i.e., enriched for post‐release adaptability) had lower odds of author‐deemed translocation failure. Notably, the rate of perceived failures among projects with zoo‐sourced founders was lower (8.6%) when compared to broader conservation translocation trends of various founder sources (20.9%). Projects with zoo founders had a global reach across varying species risk statuses, although common regional and taxonomic biases in translocations remain. This review provides support that zoo animal founders can lead to effective conservation translocations and identifies factors useful to mitigate challenges linked to unsuccessful outcomes. Founder quality over quantity may be key—sourcing individuals optimal for post‐release survival and viability in the long term will be paramount. We support standardized reporting of all translocation project outcomes and recommend that conservation practitioners maximize opportunities to engage with zoos early in project planning stages to assess feasibility and inform strategies that facilitate effective conservation across the ex situ–in situ spectrum.