Captive breeding, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), “the process of breeding animals outside of their natural environment in restricted conditions in farms, zoos or other closed facilities”. Besides being implemented in zoos, captive breeding is also carried out for commercial purposes such as the pet and food industry, conservation and research purposes. If implemented properly and under strict conditions, captive breeding can help increase the number of a species of self-sustaining animals and possibly save the species from extinction, thereby promoting biodiversity. 

The WWF’s stance on captive breeding is that it should be a last measure for conservation, as there are many risks that accompany its implementation, which may supercede the benefits reaped. The pros and cons of captive breeding in zoos will be talked about in greater detail.