Traditional animal conservation is a failure. It is predicated upon the saving of economic resources that is simply unrealistic. The fact is that we won't be able to significantly save large parts of 'nature'. The expansion of our civilization now effects the most backward crannies of this planet.
Many people say that it is better for animals to be left in the wild.
I also understand that there is no wild anymore. That where ever the animal is it represents a threat to man and the expansion of the society. The conservation through zoo's and 'professional' animal enterprises is also doomed to fail. There simply isn't enough money, people, and money to support enough zoo's. Consider, the US now has somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 zoo's.