With the current rate of loss of biological diversity worldwide estimated at 100- 1000x the natural background rate, solutions are urgently needed to avoid a catastrophic and irreversible loss of species. Conservation breeding is a tool now widely used to assist in maintaining populations in a safe environment until such time as they can be released back into their natural habitat. The babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis) is a threatened species for which conservation breeding is an integral part of its conservation management. Native to a few Indonesian islands, the babirusa is under threat from habitat destruction and hunting and is estimated to have a wild population of only a few thousand. Conservation breeding was established in 1972 with the translocation of animals from Sulawesi to the Surabaya Zoo in Java, Indonesia. It is thought that 1.2 animals founded what is now a worldwide ex-situ population of around 200 individuals. With concerns mounting regarding likely levels of inbreeding and reduced reproductive success, particularly within the European population, this thesis aimed to utilise a number of techniques to assist the conservation breeding programme. Extensive studbook analysis was used to assess typical reproductive parameters for the babirusa in a captive setting; genetic analysis using microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers was used to clarify some aspects of the studbook and to estimate the level of variation within and between populations in different geographical areas; and faecal steroid analysis has been used to shed light on the physiological processes underpinning female reproduction. The combined output from these studies has added to our knowledge of this species and its performance in an ex-situ setting, and has now been used to inform future management of the conservation breeding programme.

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a toxicidade do sedimento da Enseada de Ubatuba através de testes de toxicidade, utilizando-se fase aquosa e sedimento total antes e depois do aumento da população de veraneio e a contaminação por esgoto urbano. Realizaram-se testes de toxicidade com a água intersticial e interface água/sedimento e larvas de L. variegatus. No testes com sedimento total utilizou-se anfípodo T. viscana. Utilizaram-se as análises de esteróis fecais para verificar a contaminação por esgoto. Foram coletadas em 17 estações. Uma estação do canto direito da Praia do Itaguá foi a única que obteve toxicidade nos três testes na campanha após o aumento da população de veraneio. Para os testes com a fase aquosa, uma estação próxima ao Instituto de Pesca e duas na Praia do Perequê-Açú foram tóxicas nas duas campanhas. Apresentaram contaminação por esgoto e toxicidade para os testes de fase aquosa três estações do canto direito da Praia do Itaguá, uma próxima ao Rio Acaraú, outra em frente ao Rio Grande e também uma na Praia do Perequê-Açú. Uma estação próxima a saída do Rio Grande apresentou indício de contaminação por esgoto, mas não obteve toxicidade na fase aquosa. O aumento da população de veraneio mostrou uma maior toxicidade para os testes com a fase aquosa e uma diminuição do número de sobreviventes de anfípodos. A Enseada de Ubatuba apresentou toxicidade nos testes com fase aquosa em quase todas as estações após o aumento da população, assim deve ser monitorada com freqüência e melhorar a infra-estrutura de saneamento. / The goal of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the sediment in Ubatuba small Bay through toxicity tests using liquid phase and the total sediment before and after the increase of the floating population and the sewage contamination. The liquid phase was evaluated through toxicity test with interstitial water and water/sediment interface, both with embryos of L. variegatus. The tests with total sediment were utilized amphipod T. viscana. The analyses with chemical faecal steroids marks was utilized for the sewage contamination in the sediment. It was realized samples in 17 stations. One station localized in the right corner of Itaguá beach, was the only one that showed toxicity in the three of the tests in the campaign after the increase of the floating population, two tests with de liquid phase in one station, localized near to Pesca Institute, two stations, localized in the Perequê-Açu beach, was toxic in both campaigns. Contamination by urban sewage and toxicity tests of liquid phase was observed in three stations localized in the right corner of Itaguá beach, other near the mouth of the Acaraú river, and another in front of Grande river and as well one station in the Perequê-Açu beach. One station near the mouth of Grande river had showed indication of contamination by urban sewage, but the liquid phase showed no sign of toxicity. The increase of the floating population showed a high toxicity for the test with liquid phase and a decrease in the number of survives in the amphipods tests. The small bay of Ubatuba showed toxicity in the liquid phase tests in almost of all stations after the increase in the floating population, then the region must be monitored with frequency and it is necessary to improve the structure of the sanitation in the area.

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a toxicidade do sedimento da Enseada de Ubatuba através de testes de toxicidade, utilizando-se fase aquosa e sedimento total antes e depois do aumento da população de veraneio e a contaminação por esgoto urbano. Realizaram-se testes de toxicidade com a água intersticial e interface água/sedimento e larvas de L. variegatus. No testes com sedimento total utilizou-se anfípodo T. viscana. Utilizaram-se as análises de esteróis fecais para verificar a contaminação por esgoto. Foram coletadas em 17 estações. Uma estação do canto direito da Praia do Itaguá foi a única que obteve toxicidade nos três testes na campanha após o aumento da população de veraneio. Para os testes com a fase aquosa, uma estação próxima ao Instituto de Pesca e duas na Praia do Perequê-Açú foram tóxicas nas duas campanhas. Apresentaram contaminação por esgoto e toxicidade para os testes de fase aquosa três estações do canto direito da Praia do Itaguá, uma próxima ao Rio Acaraú, outra em frente ao Rio Grande e também uma na Praia do Perequê-Açú. Uma estação próxima a saída do Rio Grande apresentou indício de contaminação por esgoto, mas não obteve toxicidade na fase aquosa. O aumento da população de veraneio mostrou uma maior toxicidade para os testes com a fase aquosa e uma diminuição do número de sobreviventes de anfípodos. A Enseada de Ubatuba apresentou toxicidade nos testes com fase aquosa em quase todas as estações após o aumento da população, assim deve ser monitorada com freqüência e melhorar a infra-estrutura de saneamento. / The goal of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the sediment in Ubatuba small Bay through toxicity tests using liquid phase and the total sediment before and after the increase of the floating population and the sewage contamination. The liquid phase was evaluated through toxicity test with interstitial water and water/sediment interface, both with embryos of L. variegatus. The tests with total sediment were utilized amphipod T. viscana. The analyses with chemical faecal steroids marks was utilized for the sewage contamination in the sediment. It was realized samples in 17 stations. One station localized in the right corner of Itaguá beach, was the only one that showed toxicity in the three of the tests in the campaign after the increase of the floating population, two tests with de liquid phase in one station, localized near to Pesca Institute, two stations, localized in the Perequê-Açu beach, was toxic in both campaigns. Contamination by urban sewage and toxicity tests of liquid phase was observed in three stations localized in the right corner of Itaguá beach, other near the mouth of the Acaraú river, and another in front of Grande river and as well one station in the Perequê-Açu beach. One station near the mouth of Grande river had showed indication of contamination by urban sewage, but the liquid phase showed no sign of toxicity. The increase of the floating population showed a high toxicity for the test with liquid phase and a decrease in the number of survives in the amphipods tests. The small bay of Ubatuba showed toxicity in the liquid phase tests in almost of all stations after the increase in the floating population, then the region must be monitored with frequency and it is necessary to improve the structure of the sanitation in the area.