In ex-situ conservation, threatened animals and plants are taken out from their natural habitat and placed in special setting where they can be protected and given special care. Zoological parks, botanical gardens and wildlife safari parks serve this purpose. There are so many animals that have become extinct in the forest but continue to be maintained in zoological parks.
In recent years, ex-situ conservation has advanced beyond keeping threatened species in enclosures. Now gametes of threatened species can be preserved in viable and fertile condition for long periods using cryopreservation techniques, eggs can be fertilised in vitro, and plants can be propagated using tissue culture methods. Seeds of different genetic strians of commercially important plants can be kept for long periods in seed banks.
Objectives of conservation are as follows:–
(vii) To maintain equilibrium between biotic and abiotic components of ecosystem.
(viii) To preserve endangered and rare species.
(ix) To conserve whole gene pool of all species.
(x) To use organisms in balanced way for human welfare.
(xi) To maintain natural balance.
