FAQ: What is your exit strategy?
An exit strategy is a plan to end the trial and might be implemented if major, insurmountable problems occur. This is an integral part of the project plan, although the considered opinion is that the project will be successful and that there will be no need to call on an exit strategy.
The reasons for considering implementation of an exit strategy are as follows:
- Unsustainable and detrimental effects arise as a result of the reintroduction of beavers to the study area. This applies equally to forestry, agriculture, fishery or conservation interests.
- There is an insupportable level of mortality in released animals as a result of persecution, human intervention or natural mortality attributed to trial procedures.
- The security of the site is compromised to the serious detriment of the animals.
An exit strategy may be implemented through one of the four options below:
- Transfer to other reintroduction programmes or ecological research sites.
- Housing of animals in zoological collections.
- Capturing, neutering and returning animals to live their life span in the wild.
- Humane destruction of animals.
