The approach to conservation has changed drastically over the past few decades. It's not a simple matter of breeding endangered animals in captivity and then sending them back to where they came from. Without political stability in the home country, adequate resources and a guaranteed safe environment with sufficient food, such action would be cruel, irresponsible and utterly pointless.

Today, animal conservation is international, founded on co-operation and the sharing of information. Woburn participates in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) and the European Studbook (ESB).

Conservation is not just about successful breeding, but also about maintaining healthy and genetically diverse populations for the future. Breeding programmes are managed with the help of studbooks that chronicle the family trees of animals held in zoos and parks.

Woburn plays its part in this area by managing the European Studbook for the Mountain Bongo, assisting in the development of a global captive action plan for rhinos and providing advice and assistance to many conservation and animal welfare organisations. Each EEP has a studbook keeper and a species coordinator who recommends the movement of animals, based on genetic analysis,to optimise their captive breeding potential.