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.

Conservation projects often require complex planning, coordination, and long-term management, with implications for animals, ecosystems, and human communities. Decisions made at this level shape not only individual interventions but also broader conservation trajectories and responsibilities.

ETHAS provides a structured approach to identify, evaluate and monitor ethical challenges across the entire project life cycle, from initial design to implementation and conclusion. It supports responsible decision-making by encouraging critical reflection on project aims, feasibility, and long-term consequences, as well as on their effects on:

• animal welfare and integrity
• ecosystem and population dynamics
• social and stakeholder relationships
• legal and regulatory compliance
• scientific validity and transparency

Checklists in this section:

• Checklists A – Project design: completed during early planning phases to guide the ethical evaluation of objectives, expected outcomes, stakeholder contexts, and justifications for action.
• Checklists B – Ongoing project evaluation: used at key milestones and review points to reassess ethical assumptions, respond to changing conditions, and ensure continued alignment with best practices and conservation goals.

Both sets of checklists also function as tools for reflection and alignment, helping project teams maintain ethical coherence and accountability throughout the duration of conservation projects.

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.

Operational conservation activities encompass a wide range of practices, including research and monitoring, capture and handling, translocation, health assessments, and reintroductions, conducted both in situ and ex situ. These activities often involve direct interactions between humans and wild animals, interventions in sensitive environments, and decision-making under uncertain and time-constrained conditions.

ETHAS provides a structured framework to support ethical reflection in the planning and implementation of these activities. It helps conservation teams identify, evaluate, and document ethical risks and decisions across all operational stages. The framework encourages critical consideration of the purpose, proportionality, and necessity of interventions, and of their potential effects on:

• animal welfare and integrity
• human safety and professional responsibility
• ecosystems, populations, and habitats
• public trust and social legitimacy of conservation practice

Checklist 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 and field implementations, 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 Operational conservation activities

• Health check
• Research and monitoring (terrestrial mammals)
• Translocation (terrestrial mammals)
• Reintroduction (terrestrial 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.
• 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.

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.