Pleistocene Rewilding

Pleistocene Rewilding, Rewilding, or only, is a term which is mainly used in English and refers to the restoration of natural areas through the re-introduction in the region formerly represented megafauna. This is done based on the assumption that extinct or displaced from the wild man species, especially large animals, made ​​an important contribution to the functionality of their ecosystem and their reintroduction is therefore essential for an authentic momentum in the various areas. This is referred to as so-called Megaherbivorenhypothese. Partially dependent is the argumentative legitimacy of the reintroduction of locally extinct in the Pleistocene species or their replacement by applying the overkill hypothesis, which sees man as the main cause of the Pleistocene extinctions.

Background

The present land vertebrate fauna was under the influence of a once -present on almost all continents megafauna, the big game. Not only were predator and prey in a dynamic one another, but also large herbivores to them according Megaherbivorenhypothese embossed or influenced landscape types. If the overkill hypothesis generally the case, the disappearance of megafauna and the resulting ecological changes would be an unnatural condition which threatens the already reduced biodiversity. The reintroduction or partial replacement of the megafauna would have the following advantages:

• Practical testing of Megaherbivorenhypothese. So far it is unclear whether grazing can keep open the long term by large herbivores areas or open woodlands.
• Conservation: The reintroduction of any endangered species in areas where they once extinct or have been extirpated, is a goal of species protection has always been.
• Natural dynamics of fauna and flora. Smaller and medium-sized animals are directly or indirectly dependent on the megafauna. Large herbivores represent approximately the prey for sporadic again advancing in Europe predator species such as the wolf or Northern Lynx, which so far cause through cracks of livestock problems. Conversely, the population of Megaherbivoren is regulated by large predators. The fact that the introduction of this is needed, is thus shown that it is necessary at present in some North American national parks, such as Yellowstone National Park, killing surplus animals. Birds such as herons and lapwings benefit from Megaherbivoren one hand, the fact that these insects startle which then destroy the other persons in the vicinity Cattle Egret, or by keeping open spaces that act as a nesting site. The feces of large herbivores contributes as a natural fertilizer for Nutrifizierung the pastures. Furthermore Megaherbivoren participate in the dissemination of seeds by eating fruit. A case in point is the milk orange tree, whose fruit was possibly dependent on the opening through the original home there megafauna.
• Tourist advantage for structurally weak regions, which are adjacent to such wilderness areas, analogous to the Kruger National Park.

Because at the end of the Pleistocene and during the Holocene was not only to local extinctions, but a number of species were globally extinct or extirpated some populations can not be replaced by representatives of the same species. It is possible to replace them with ecologically and morphologically similar relative in those cases. So Great Emus were released on Kangaroo Island some time ago instead of the extinct Kangaroo Island Emu. In wild animals, which were once domesticated, you can rely on appropriate domesticated descendants. One option is to reintroduce a suitable breed unchanged, such as the Konik or the Exmoor Horse are proposed as a replacement for the European wild horse, of which the former as in Oostvaardersplassen, the latter still occurs in wild birds in the Exmoor National Park. In addition, some breeds were bred with the proviso their wild form to get close ( image breeding). Another option is to use domestic breeds, which were already back to wildlife by Dedomestikation, about Mustangs.

Criticism

It is noted that 10,000 years represent a time period sufficient to give rise to a new climax community in terrestrial ecosystems between the remaining species. Also, to think of some of the ability of large herbivores parklands open or open forests, ie at the Megaherbivorenhypothese, doubted (see main article). It is countered, among other things, that through the millennia to the reduced large animal diversity to standards developed, which consider this condition as natural.

Rewilding initiatives

The first example that one at the end of the Pleistocene extinct on a particular continent megamammal was introduced from another region again, was the case of the Mustangs. These are by no means invasive species, but belong with Equus ferus to a species which occurred in North America before the arrival of man. However, these are feral horses, not true wild horses. The endangered yellow - edge tortoise was introduced by the Turner Endangered Species Fund in New Mexico again, which occurred during the Pleistocene in North America. Donlan et al. postulate that in these species a Pleistocene Rewilding project could be started, which could eventually end up in Holarctic lions.

Musk oxen were common during the last ice age over much of Eurasia and North America, which were then characterized by tundra. During the late Pleistocene and Holocene, but their numbers dwindled until they were confined only to the north of Canada and Greenland. However, they were in regions of Norway, Sweden, Siberia and Alaska (where they were exterminated in the 20th century ) has been successfully reintroduced.

The Pleistocene Park is a project which aims at the re-introduction of large Tundrenbewohnern a re- emergence of the mammoth steppe. Have been introduced in a reserve in the south of Sacha Yakutenpferde, bison and musk ox, which joined the existing wild stocks of snow sheep, Altai Maral and moose.

To prevent encroachment of nature development area Oostvaardersplassen 1992 red deer, Konik and Heck cattle were reintroduced. These now form large herds and include a total of about 2200 animals. The high population numbers without regulation by predators lead to starvation in many animals in winter.

Rewilding Europe is an organization which strives to carry out the widest possible reintroduction of the European big game on an expected area of ​​about one million hectares. Have been defined five core areas: West Iberia, the Eastern Carpathians, the Danube Delta, the Southern Carpathians and Velebit in Croatia. Rewilding Europe collaborates with other Tauros Project, a multidisciplinary project that seeks to come as close as possible to the aurochs to end cattle line. The founders and crossbred animals of the project are already living among others freely in the nature reserve Keent.