Use of molecular data in zoo and aquarium collection management: Benefits, challenges, and best practices
The global zoo and aquarium community widely recognizes that its animal collections and cooperative breeding programs are facing a sustainability crisis. It has become commonly accepted that numerous priority species cannot be maintained unless new management strategies are adopted. While molecular data have the potential to greatly improve management across a range of scenarios, they […]
Single large or several small? Population fragmentation in the captive management of endangered species
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1998)17:63.3.CO;2-V Captive populations of endangered species are typically maintained effectively as single random-mating populations by translocating individuals between institutions. Genetic, disease, and cost considerations, however, suggest that this may not be the optimal management strategy. Genetic theory predicts that a pooled population derived from several small isolated populations will have greater genetic diversity, less […]
Minimizing kinship in captive breeding programs
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1997)16:53.3.CO;2-3 Captive populations of endangered species are managed to preserve genetic diversity and retain reproductive fitness. Minimizing kinship (MK) has been predicted to maximize the retention of gene diversity in pedigreed populations with unequal founder representation. MK was compared with maximum avoidance of inbreeding (MAI) and random choice of parents (RAND) using Drosophila melanogaster. […]
Genetic evaluation of the three captive mexican wolf lineages
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1997)16:13.3.CO;2-7 The Mexican gray wolf appears to be extinct in the wild and exists now only in captivity. There are three captive putative Mexican wolf lineages: Certified, Ghost Ranch, and Aragón lineages. From pedigree analysis, the Certified lineage has the lowest level of inbreeding and has retained the most founder alleles. In contrast, the […]
Use of DNA fingerprinting in planning a breeding program for the riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430130305.abs The riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) is an endangered and endemic species found within a small geographic range in semiarid southern Africa. A captive breeding program has been initiated for reintroducing rabbits into suitable but vacant habitat. DNA fingerprinting was used to identify individuals within a captive group suitable for inclusion in a larger […]
Use of animals with unknown ancestries in scientifically managed breeding programs
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430120203.abs Whether to incorporate animals with unknown ancestries as founders into scientifically managed captive breeding programs, can be a difficult decision. If the animals are offspring of known founders, their inclusion in the breeding program will result in an increased incidence of inbreeding in the captive population. If the animals are additional founders, excluding […]
Fertility assessment of cheetah males with poor quality semen
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430120109.abs Reports on semen quality of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) indicate that high percentages of abnormal morphs and sperm concentrations, 10 times lower than in domestic cats, are found in all populations. These characteristics are believed to result from unusual genetic homozygosity, hypothesized to have been caused by passage of the species through one […]
Kin recognition and inbreeding avoidance in zebrafish, Danio rerio, is based on phenotype matching
Differentiating kin from nonkin enables organisms of many species to allocate resources or altruistic behaviour towards related conspecifics and to avoid mating with close relatives. Kin recognition mechanisms can vary among species and may reflect the social environment. Learned familiarity with nest or shoalmates may serve as a good indication that individuals are related, as […]
Modeling problems in conservation genetics using captive Drosophila populations: Consequences of equalizing founder representation
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430110504.abs Equalizing founder representation is a recommended practice for maintaining captive populations. However, this procedure has not been subject to controlled experimental evaluation. The effects on inbreeding, genetic variation, and reproductive fitness of maintaining small captive populations by equalizing founder representation (EFR) versus randomly choosing parents (RC) were compared. Ten replicate lines were created […]
Modeling problems in conservation genetics using captive Drosophila populations: Improvement of reproductive fitness due to immigration of one individual into small partially inbred populations
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430110506.abs Immigration into small isolated captive and wild populations is recommended to alleviate inbreeding depression. The effects on reproductive fitness of introducing one immigrant into 10 small partially inbred captive populations of D. melanogaster were evaluated. The relative reproductive fitness of the immigrant populations (0.628) was approximately double that of the isolated populations (0.294) […]