{
  "id": 11021786,
  "title": "Some threatened species may miss out as zoos try to balance conservation efforts with competing pressures",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/some-threatened-species-may-miss-out-as-zoos-try-to-balance",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-30T20:30:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-threatened-species-zoos-efforts-pressures.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at Nottingham Trent University has revealed the complex factors influencing zoos' decisions on species planning. By analyzing data from over 7,200 species across 613 zoos in 72 countries over a 30-year period, the team found that changes in a species' conservation status, such as increased threats or reduced trade restrictions, were not consistently associated with changes in zoo holdings. Instead, participation in breeding or management programs emerged as the strongest predictor of growth in zoo collections. The study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, highlights the need for more standardized species planning frameworks within the zoo sector to better align collections with conservation priorities while balancing other pressures such as space limitations, welfare concerns, cost, and visitor engagement.",
  "summary": "In the largest study of its kind, researchers at Nottingham Trent University analyzed more than 7,200 species across 613 zoos in 72 countries over a 30-year period. The team compared changes in zoo animal holdings with changes in species' conservation status, including extinction risk, international trade protections and involvement in zoo conservation breeding programs.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}