I find it very interesting that everyone who said there aren't any programs like that in the USA all live across the pond....

In our area, we have had coyote reintroduction programs, raccoon capture/vaccinate/release programs, fish reintroduction/stocking, not to mention the other programs across the country, such as the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone. Bison were endangered, and are now so plentiful they are a food source, because of captive breeding efforts. And integrated pest management is all about introducing living things that are beneficial to the environment into locales where they did not exist before, or did not exist in as plentiful numbers to create the desired impact.

How can one advocate something if they are asking others merely to share experiences?

Actually, about the tetrataenia, the last study I read said they were looking for MORE captive breeding projects, and released populations. It seems because they are "only" garters there is no funding, and many hobbyists have been told that we're "only [stupid (implied)] hobbyists," so we feel defeated and don't pursue it. I personally believe that I have met some of the smartest people as garter hobbyists, and that it's a shame we often feel so discouraged because we love "just garters".

So not one member studies at a school that even explores the idea? Not one person on here is a wildlife official who knows about these kinds of reintroduction programs, and can even *hypothesize* about it? Not even one "I wish they had something like that here, I loved seeing them in the wild and don't anymore" post??????