<
https://theconversation.com/poor-genetic-health-threatens-many-species-but-its-fixable-288091>
"By the early 1990s, there were only around 20 Florida Panthers left on the
planet.
A distinct and isolated population of the widespread Puma (
Puma concolor),
the Florida Panther was pushed to the edge of extinction by a range of threats.
One major issue was their poor genetic health, a measure of how diverse an
individual or population’s genes are and how related everyone is.
In 1995, researchers performed a daring “genetic rescue”. They introduced a
handful of Texan Pumas to the Florida Panther population. These animals then
interbred and helped the Panther population bounce back by bringing in new
genetic material.
This example illustrates why genetic health matters. However, poor genetic
health often gets overshadowed by other threats such as land clearing, invasive
species, disease and climate change. That’s despite decades of research
highlighting it as a crucial piece in the conservation puzzle."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
