Place captive young with captive foster parents

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 2
Share Tweet Email

View assessment score

How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

70%
Certainty

32%
Harms

10%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Success of captive breeding programmes for endangered mammal species may be reduced if the biological parents are unable to rear any or all of their young. This may occur when there are more young than parents can rear, or through disease, injury or death of the parents. One option may be to place the young with captive foster parents of the same species, where such animals are available. This may reduce the risk of the young becoming imprinted on humans (which could occur if they were hand reared) and so could increase their chance of survival after release into the wild.

Studies reported on here are examples of where this action is carried out in an experimental way, but where the results could help inform actions in future programmes.

Study locations

Key messages

Two studies evaluated the effects of placing captive young mammals with captive foster parents. One study was in the USA and one was in Sweden and Norway.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (2 STUDIES)

Survival (2 studies): A replicated, controlled study in the USA found that most captive coyote pups placed with foster parents were successfully reared. A replicated study in Sweden and Norway found that captive grey wolf pups placed with foster parents had higher survival rates than pups that stayed with their biological mother.
Condition (1 study): A replicated study in Sweden and Norway found that captive grey wolf pups placed with foster parents weighed less than pups that stayed with their biological mother.

BEHAVIOUR (0 STUDIES)

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, controlled study (year not stated) in a captive animal facility in Utah, USA (Kitchen & Knowlton 2006) found that most coyote Canis latrans pups placed with foster parents in captivity were successfully reared. All eight pups fostered into four litters at <1 week old survived beyond six weeks of age. Of six 3–4-week-old pups fostered into three litters, four pups in two litters survived beyond six weeks old. The two pups in the third litter died. Two attempts each to foster two 6–7-week-old pups failed, with pups dying within 24 hours. All pups born into these litters survived. The survival rate of litters fostered in their entirety when <10 days old (17 out of 19 pups surviving from four litters) was similar to that in litters not fostered (18 out of 20 pups surviving from four litters). Causes of death were not established for pups that died. Litters of eight coyote pairs were augmented by adding two additional pups, four litters were replaced completely and four litters were reared by their parents without additions. Survival was monitored to six weeks of age.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Kitchen A.M. & Knowlton F.F. (2006) Cross-fostering in coyotes: evaluation of a potential conservation and research tool for canids. Biological Conservation, 129, 221-255.
A replicated study in 2011 in six zoos in Sweden and Norway (Scharis & Amundin 2015) found that grey wolf Canis lupus lupus pups placed with foster parents in captivity had higher survival rates but weighed less than pups that stayed with their biological mother. After 32 weeks, more fostered cubs survived (75%) than cubs that remained with their biological mother (65%). At 24–26 days age, fostered cubs weighed less (1,337 g) than cubs that remained with their biological mother (2,019 g). In 2011, eight pups born at zoos were removed from their biological mothers at 4–6 days of age. Pups were microchipped, to allow identification, given fluids to reduce dehydration, and transported by car or plane to new zoos. Foster pups were placed in litters containing 7–10 pups. On arrival, the tails of foster pups were rubbed in the urine of other pups so that they smelled similar. A total of 35 pups stayed with their biological mother. Cameras were placed at the den of each litter. Pups were weighed at irregular intervals and all deaths recorded.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Scharis I. & Amundin M. (2015) Cross-fostering in gray wolves (Canis lupus lupus). Zoo Biology, 34, 217-222.

Please cite as:

Littlewood, N.A., Rocha, R., Smith, R.K., Martin, P.A., Lockhart, S.L., Schoonover, R.F., Wilman, E., Bladon, A.J., Sainsbury, K.A., Pimm S. and Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Terrestrial Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for terrestrial mammals excluding bats and primates. Synopses of Conservation Evidence Series. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Terrestrial Mammal Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Preserve genetic material for use in future captive breeding programs Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	2	Synopsis Link
Place captive young with captive foster parents Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	2	Synopsis Link
Clone rare species Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link