Captive breeding is not only difficult, but also labor intensive and expensive. Zoos can reasonably expect to save only a few species at a time. As a result, some environmentalists believe funds might be better spent preserving natural ecosystems. Curtis Freese of the World Wildlife Fund argues that conservation groups should give captive breeding only qualified support. But Roger Birkel, general curator of the St. Louis Zoo, counters that preserving habitats and captive breeding are not mutually exclusive.
Zoos also tend to save charismatic species, such as gorillas, bears, and birds.
This focus limits captive breeding efforts but does allow zoos to perform an educational function, argues Devra Kleiman of the National Zoological Park in Washington. Zoos can use their breeding programs to call attention to larger problems such as habitat destruction, notes William Konstant, executive director of the Jersey Zoo's Wildlife Preservation Trust International. The debate among zoo curators, biologists, and conservationists is a new and interesting issue to be reported. It also provides a local and highly visual way to keep up with an aspect of the endangered species story. The debate over the Endangered Species Act revolves primarily around the price tag on wildlife preservation.