Can we really expect to conserve species already reduced to such low populations and confined to such small habitats?
It is true that, for long-term persistence, some species will require larger habitats and population sizes than those currently found in AZE sites. However, population viability depends on a complex set of factors, and small populations of many species can persist and recover, as evidenced by the Seychelles Magpie-Robin, Mauritius Kestrel, Echo Parakeet, Seychelles Warbler, Laysan Teal, and Short-tailed Albatross, some of which were at one time reduced to double-digit global populations. Furthermore, AZE is equally important for species that will ultimately require larger habitats. The first conservation step for these species is to halt their population decline by preserving their remaining habitat. Recovery into restored habitats can only follow over the longer-term if the species has avoided extinction in the meantime.
