I get that they are talking about the numbers recorded are shrinking, but they are also talking about them never returning.
I wonder if part of it is they’ve underestimated how important part of the rewilding process zoology is.
They should have had vivariums of as many local varieties as reasonable along with every other type of breeding program. I know 10k species etc, but giving a jump start to an area with trees is missing the point that they are one part of the ecology.