I am looking for examples where individual hobbyists, scientists, small non-zoo organizations and maybe commercial venues helped in protection, discovery or research of animals ex-situ, especially in Europe.
I found mentions of several freshwater fish which only survived in private tanks. There is also a website Citizen Conservation citizen-conservation.org/en/ with fish and herps. Several parrots which were kept only by hobbyists were used for release, or then young were passed to zoos.. Organizations like Turtle Island in Graz, which are formally private foundations not zoos. There are also many fish and herps which were discovered in commercial trade or by hobbyists. And, of course, husbandry of innumberable smaller animals was first discovered by private keepers. And many small local projects of breeding and release of fire salamanders, barn owls, pod terrapins and others.
Apparently such movement is growing. And is also in danger because the European Commission is investigating laws which complicate private keeping of pets, or even ban any rare / new / unknown species ('positive list allowed to keep'). This would practically kill such actions in Europe.
I found mentions of several freshwater fish which only survived in private tanks. There is also a website Citizen Conservation citizen-conservation.org/en/ with fish and herps. Several parrots which were kept only by hobbyists were used for release, or then young were passed to zoos.. Organizations like Turtle Island in Graz, which are formally private foundations not zoos. There are also many fish and herps which were discovered in commercial trade or by hobbyists. And, of course, husbandry of innumberable smaller animals was first discovered by private keepers. And many small local projects of breeding and release of fire salamanders, barn owls, pod terrapins and others.
Apparently such movement is growing. And is also in danger because the European Commission is investigating laws which complicate private keeping of pets, or even ban any rare / new / unknown species ('positive list allowed to keep'). This would practically kill such actions in Europe.
