Ethas

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are powerful tools in conservation, offering means to prevent species extinction and preserve genetic diversity. Yet, the use of invasive procedures in wildlife raises significant ethical questions: how can the welfare of individual animals be balanced with the survival of the species?

ETHAS provides a structured approach to evaluate these ethical dilemmas when using ART, supporting responsible decision-making across all stages of intervention—from gamete and embryo collection to storage, transfer, and related husbandry practices. It encourages critical reflection on the purpose, proportionality, and necessity of interventions, and their effects on:

• Animal welfare and integrity
• Staff safety and professional responsibility
• Ecosystem and population dynamics
• Public perception and trust in conservation science

Checklists in this section:

• Checklists A – Project Planning and Protocol Preparation: completed during project design, guiding evaluation of the procedure’s aims, expected benefits, and ethical justification.
• Checklists B – Continuous project monitoring: used as an ethical briefing tool before procedures, field implementations, planned evaluation sessions, ensuring that all team members share a common understanding of risks, roles, and ethical standards.
• Both sets of checklists can also serve as training and alignment instruments, preparing teams to anticipate and responsibly manage the unpredictable conditions inherent in reproductive work with wildlife.

Available Checklist for ART

• Artificial insemination (birds)
• Artificial insemination (fishes)
• Artificial insemination (mammals)
• Artificial insemination (reptiles)
• Embryo transfer (mammals)
• Intracitoplasmic sperm injection (mammals)
• In vitro fertilization (amphibians)
• In vitro fertilization (mammals)
• Pregnancy check (mammals)
• Pregnancy monitoring (mammals)
• Ovum pick up (mammals)
• Removal of extra fetus (mammals)
• Semen collection (amphibians)
• Semen collection (birds)
• Semen collection (fishes)
• Semen collection (mammals)
• Semen collection (reptiles)
• Sterilization (mammals)

Ethical Oversight

• ETHAS is a self-assessment framework and does not replace formal ethical review.
• When institutional oversight exists, ETHAS assists in structuring submissions, supporting documentation, and maintaining continuous ethical reflection throughout a project’s duration.
• In contexts without formal review mechanisms, ETHAS provides a transparent and reliable process of ethical self-assessment, strengthening animal welfare, professional accountability, and public trust in the use of ART for conservation.

Biobanking is a vital component of contemporary conservation, enabling the preservation of genetic materials, gametes, embryos, and tissues for future research and potential species recovery. This practice raises important ethical questions concerning ownership, consent, purpose, and the treatment of biological material derived from living or deceased animals.

ETHAS offers a structured ethical framework to guide the responsible collection, storage, and use of biological samples. It supports institutions and projects in assessing accountability, transparency, and the long-term implications of biobanking activities, integrating reflection on:

• Conditions of sampling and post-mortem collection
• Integrity and traceability of samples and associated data
• Governance of access, sharing, and benefit distribution
• Environmental and social responsibility, including respect for local communities and conservation goals

Checklists in this section:

• Checklists A – Project Planning and Protocol Preparation: completed during project design, guiding evaluation of the procedure’s aims, expected benefits, and ethical justification.
• Checklists B – Continuous project monitoring: used as an ethical briefing tool before procedures, field implementations, planned evaluation sessions, ensuring that all team members share a common understanding of risks, roles, and ethical standards.
• Both sets of checklists can also serve as training and alignment instruments, preparing teams to anticipate and responsibly manage the conditions inherent in wildlife biobanking work.

Available Checklist for Biobanking

• Cell cultures
• Reproductive cells and embryos
• Tissues and blood fraction

Ethical Oversight

• ETHAS is a self-assessment framework and does not replace formal ethical review.
• When institutional oversight exists, ETHAS assists in structuring submissions, supporting documentation, and maintaining continuous ethical reflection throughout a project’s duration.
• Where no formal review mechanism is available, ETHAS provides a transparent and reliable process of ethical self-assessment, strengthening the legitimacy, accountability, and societal trust of biobanking initiatives in conservation science.

Fieldwork and wildlife translocation often involve direct and ethically sensitive interactions between humans and wild animals, such as capture, handling, immobilization, marking, and sample collection.

ETHAS assists practitioners and researchers working with wild terrestrial vertebrates in research, monitoring, and management projects. It promotes reflection on a project’s purpose and necessity, assesses the proportionality and effectiveness of interventions, and identifies ways to minimize risks and impacts on:

• Animal welfare
• Human welfare and staff safety
• Ecosystem integrity and environmental effects
• Public trust and community values

Checklists in this section:

• Checklists A – Project Planning and Protocol Preparation: completed during project design, guiding evaluation of the procedure’s aims, expected benefits, and ethical justification.
• Checklists B – Continuous project monitoring: used as an ethical briefing tool before procedures, field implementations, planned evaluation sessions, ensuring that all team members share a common understanding of risks, roles, and ethical standards.
• Both sets of checklists can also serve as training and alignment instruments, preparing teams to anticipate and responsibly manage the unpredictable conditions inherent in fieldwork with wildlife.

Available Checklist for Fieldwork and Wildlife Translocation

• Health check
• Monitoring and research
• Translocation

Ethical Oversight

• ETHAS is a self-assessment framework and is not intended to replace formal ethical review.
• When an institution has an oversight committee (such as an IACUC or equivalent), ETHAS can assist in preparing submissions, organizing documentation, and maintaining continuous ethical reflection and monitoring throughout a project’s duration—beyond what occasional inspections can provide.
• Where no formal oversight exists, ETHAS provides a structured and transparent self-assessment process, strengthening the ethical sustainability of field projects and promoting responsible practices that protect animal welfare, staff safety, ecosystem integrity, and public trust in wildlife research and management.

Zoos are increasingly recognized not only as places for display and research but also as institutions with social, environmental, and moral responsibilities toward the animals they keep and the ecosystems they represent.

ETHAS helps integrate these responsibilities into daily operations by assisting professionals engaged in wildlife management and conservation within zoological settings. It ensures that every action taken for species protection and population recovery is guided by ethical reflection and practical responsibility. The framework supports ethical evaluation and risk assessment in relation to:

• The welfare, autonomy, and integrity of individual animals
• The ecological and genetic sustainability of populations
• The safety and well-being of staff and other species involved
• Transparency, education, and public engagement in conservation efforts

Checklists in this section:

• Checklists A – Project Planning and Protocol Preparation: completed during project design, guiding evaluation of the procedure’s aims, expected benefits, and ethical justification.
• Checklists B – Continuous project monitoring: used as an ethical briefing tool before procedures, field implementations, planned evaluation sessions, ensuring that all team members share a common understanding of risks, roles, and ethical standards.
• Both sets of checklists can also serve as training and alignment instruments, preparing teams to anticipate and responsibly manage the unpredictable conditions inherent in conservation action.

Available Checklist for Zoos

• Communication
• Education
• Ex situ
• In situ

Ethical Oversight

• ETHAS is a self-assessment framework and is not intended to replace formal ethical review.
• Not all zoos operate under independent ethical boards capable of reviewing and monitoring conservation decisions. In many cases, ethical evaluation depends on internal management structures or professional codes that may not fully capture the moral complexity of conservation actions. ETHAS provides a transparent and structured process to ensure due diligence to ethical standards, even in the absence of formal oversight.
• While not a substitute for institutional ethics committees or regulatory compliance, ETHAS complements existing systems by fostering continuous ethical reflection throughout planning, implementation, and evaluation. It strengthens accountability in conservation practice, helping ensure that actions taken in the name of biodiversity protection respect animal welfare, ecological integrity, and the growing societal demand for humane and responsible conservation.

Museum work with historical or archival specimens—especially in genetic studies seeking to uncover evolutionary and biodiversity information—is increasingly important in conservation. Ancient DNA research often involves sensitive and invasive procedures, such as taking small samples from preserved specimens and extracting genetic material for analysis. These activities raise ethical considerations, as they may affect irreplaceable objects, cultural heritage, and public trust in museums as custodians of the past.

ETHAS offers a structured framework to balance the goals of biodiversity conservation, research advancement, and social responsibility. It guides museums and researchers in preserving and stewarding specimens responsibly, promoting openness, cultural respect, and shared decision-making with source communities, while encouraging reflection on necessity, proportionality, and risk minimization.

Checklists in this section:

• Checklists A – Project Planning and Protocol Preparation: completed during project design, guiding evaluation of the procedure’s aims, expected benefits, and ethical justification.
• Checklists B – Continuous project monitoring: used as an ethical briefing tool before procedures, field implementations, planned evaluation sessions, ensuring that all team members share a common understanding of risks, roles, and ethical standards.
• Both sets of checklists can also serve as training and alignment instruments, preparing teams to anticipate and responsibly manage the conditions inherent in museum and laboratory work related to wildlife conservation.

Available Checklist for Museum

• DNA extraction and sequencing
• Museum sample collection

Ethical Oversight

• ETHAS is a self-assessment framework and is not intended to replace formal ethical review.
• Not all museums have formal ethical boards or committees to guide or monitor invasive research practices. In many cases, ethical compliance depends on individual integrity and institutional culture rather than formal review systems. ETHAS provides a reliable and transparent way to ensure ethical due diligence in these contexts.
• While it does not replace official ethical reviews where they exist, ETHAS complements them by supporting continuous reflection, documentation, and communication throughout the research process. It strengthens ethical adherence in ancient DNA studies, helping institutions safeguard specimen integrity, cultural and scientific values, and public trust in the responsible use of museum collections.