A proposed site is suitable only if evidence shows it can meet the species’ needs across relevant seasons and future conditions, while posing acceptable risks to resident wildlife, ecosystems and people. Assessing it means more than finding habitat that looks right: first establish that moving the species is justified, then compare sites using consistent ecological, risk, legal and practical criteria, and plan monitoring before release.
First decide whether relocation is justified
Conservation translocation is the deliberate movement of organisms to achieve a measurable conservation benefit. Before evaluating destinations, define the problem the move is meant to solve and how success would be measured. Ask whether protecting the species where it is, reducing the threat, or another alternative could achieve the same objective with less risk. Relocation is not automatically the best response to an endangered species’ decline.
The IUCN’s Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations provide a global framework for justification, planning, implementation and monitoring. They are guidance, not a substitute for applicable law or a species-specific protocol.
Build a species-specific requirements profile
Before comparing locations, document what the species needs, which needs are essential, and what evidence supports each assumption. Consult species-specific literature and qualified taxon specialists; where baseline knowledge is limited, the IUCN’s 2025 guidance suggests considering collaboration with an existing species programme or relevant organization.
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For displaced organisms that have come into human hands, the IUCN Guidelines on Responsible Translocation of Displaced Organisms, released in July 2025, complement rather than replace the core translocation framework. Their habitat guidance calls for information about natural habitat and ecology before a site is selected.
- Habitat and resources: habitat types and structure; food; water; and nesting, denning or other resources relevant to the species.
- Environmental conditions: terrain, altitude, hydrology where relevant, temperature, rainfall, weather extremes and other abiotic conditions the species must tolerate.
- Timing and change: seasonal resource availability and habitat use, as well as long-term trends and foreseeable conditions over the project’s planning horizon.
- Biological and social needs: interactions with other species, movement patterns and animal socioecological requirements where applicable.
Record the evidence source and confidence for each requirement. Avoid inventing universal numerical cutoffs: acceptable conditions and thresholds depend on the species, project and applicable authorities.
Compare candidate sites on the same basis
Gather evidence for every candidate site using the same criteria, time horizon and standard of evidence. A comparison should make gaps and uncertainty visible rather than hide them in a single overall score.
| Assessment axis | What to examine | Decision question |
|---|---|---|
| Species fit | Habitat structure, food, water, breeding or denning resources, movement and social requirements. | Can the site meet the species’ essential needs, including at critical times of year? |
| Environmental fit over time | Seasonal conditions, climate, extreme weather, terrain, hydrology and longer-term change. | Is suitability likely to persist over the period the conservation objective requires? |
| Ecological risk | Resident conspecifics, other interacting species, pathogens, ecosystem processes and affected wildlife. | Could release create an unacceptable risk for the recipient community or ecosystem? |
| Human context | Land use, disturbance, conflict, access, community concerns, management and protection feasibility. | Can the site be managed in a way that is compatible with people and the conservation objective? |
| Delivery and persistence | Permissions, release logistics, resources, monitoring access and capacity to respond to problems. | Can the project be carried out and supported after release? |
These axes synthesize IUCN habitat-information and risk-assessment prompts; they are not an official weighted scorecard. The guidance does not establish universal weights or a general pass/fail threshold. An expert-led SWOT exercise—identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats—can help stakeholders surface concerns and possible habitat improvements, but it organizes discussion rather than proving suitability. The 2025 guidance describes involving experts in the target species and relevant topics such as interacting species, vegetation, hydrology, climate and human impacts.
If an essential feature is missing, decide whether a realistic, durable intervention could provide it. State what evidence is missing, whether it can be gathered before a decision, and how uncertainty affects the comparison. A site whose suitability depends on an untested or temporary fix should not be treated as equivalent to one supported by stronger evidence.
Assess biological, ecological and human risks
A site that appears to fit the target species can still be unsafe for the recipient population or surrounding ecosystem. The 2025 IUCN guidance says potential release habitats should be assessed so that a translocation is not likely to pose medium or high risks to resident conspecific populations, other wildlife, ecosystems or people. The relevant technical work depends on the organism and circumstances; involve qualified veterinarians, plant-health specialists and taxon experts where appropriate.
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- Resident populations and interactions: consider competition, social disruption, predation and other species interactions that could affect the released organisms or residents.
- Health and pathogens: assess whether organisms held, cultivated or transported by people need health, injury or pathogen screening, and whether movement could introduce or spread disease.
- Genetic and behavioural suitability: evaluate genetic suitability and, for animals with relevant human exposure, behavioural suitability under specialist advice.
- Ecosystem and human effects: examine potential effects on ecosystem processes, other wildlife and people, including risks associated with human-wildlife conflict.
- Threat recurrence: determine whether the original pressure that prompted relocation could also affect the new site.
For each material risk, identify how it will be assessed, what evidence is needed and who has authority to judge whether it is acceptable. For transboundary movement, official health checks and applicable conventions may also be relevant.
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Identify legal and policy requirements for the species, source location and recipient location before treating a site as available. Depending on the project, checks may concern species status, land access, animal or plant health, protected areas and cross-border movement. The responsible authorities and exact requirements vary by jurisdiction; the global IUCN framework does not determine which permits apply to an individual project.
The IUCN guidance calls for consultation with local communities and compliance with applicable local, national and international laws, policies and conventions. Where human-wildlife conflict is involved, its 2025 guidance emphasizes prevention and mitigation, working with Indigenous landowners and users, local communities and land managers to protect organisms in their habitats where feasible. The IUCN Conservation Translocation Guideline Library describes the core guidelines as guidance rather than law and lists examples of policies or codes that have adopted them; those examples do not establish the rules for a particular project.
Make the site decision operational before release
A site assessment should result in a reasoned, conditional decision—not just a ranking. Record why the preferred site meets the objective better than alternatives, the material uncertainties, any improvements required before release, and the people responsible for each action.
Plan monitoring as part of site selection. The core IUCN framework includes implementation and monitoring, so define in advance:
- the conservation objective and measurable indicators of progress;
- baseline information, data-collection methods, frequency and duration appropriate to the species and project;
- who will collect, review and report the information;
- decision triggers and funded contingency actions if outcomes diverge from objectives; and
- how the project will adapt, pause or end if conditions or results warrant it.
A location that cannot be monitored or where managers cannot respond to adverse results may not be an operationally responsible choice. The IUCN framework does not prescribe one monitoring duration or success rate for all species; these choices must be tailored to the project.
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