Wacher, T. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2022

Genetic diversity in global populations of the Critically Endangered addax (Addax nasomaculatus) and its implications for conservation

Threatened species are frequently patchily distributed across small wild populations, ex situ populations managed with varying levels of intensity, and reintroduced populations. Best practice advocates for integrated management across in situ and ex situ populations. Wild addax (Addax nasomaculatus) now number fewer than 100 individuals, yet thousands of addax remain in ex situ populations, which can provide addax for reintroductions, as has been the case in Tunisia in the mid-1980s. However, integrated management requires genetic data to ascertain the relationships between wild and ex situ populations that have incomplete knowledge of founder origins, management histories and pedigrees. We undertook a global assessment of genetic diversity across wild, ex situ, and reintroduced populations in Tunisia to assist conservation planning for this Critically Endangered species. We show that the remnant wild populations retain more mitochondrial haplotypes which are more evolutionarily diverse than the entirety of the ex situ populations across Europe, North America and the United Arab Emirates, and the reintroduced Tunisian population. Additionally, 1704 SNPs revealed that whilst population structure within the ex situ population is minimal, each population carries unique diversity. Finally, we show that careful selection of founders and subsequent genetic management is vital to ensure genetic diversity is provided to, and minimise drift and inbreeding within, reintroductions. Our results highlight a vital need to conserve the last remaining wild addax population, and we provide a genetic foundation for determining integrated conservation strategies to prevent extinction and optimise future reintroductions.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2019

Short-term effects of GPS collars on the activity, behavior, and adrenal response of scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah)

GPS collars have revolutionized the field of animal ecology, providing detailed information on animal movement and the habitats necessary for species survival. GPS collars also have the potential to cause adverse effects ranging from mild irritation to severe tissue damage, reduced fitness, and death. The impact of GPS collars on the behavior, stress, or activity, however, have rarely been tested on study species prior to release. The objective of our study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the short-term effects of GPS collars fitted on scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), an extinct-in-the-wild antelope once widely distributed across Sahelian grasslands in North Africa. We conducted behavioral observations, assessed fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM), and evaluated high-resolution data from tri-axial accelerometers. Using a series of non-standard regression models, we illustrate clear but short-term effects to animals fitted with GPS collars. Behavioral observations highlighted a significant increase in the amount of headshaking from pre-treatment levels, returning below baseline levels during the post-treatment period (>3 days post-collaring). Similarly, FGM concentrations (i.e., stress hormones) increased after GPS collars were fitted on animals but returned to pre-collaring levels within 5 days of collaring. Lastly, tri-axial accelerometers, collecting data at eight positions per second, indicated a > 480 percent increase in the amount of hourly headshaking immediately after collaring. This post-collaring increase in headshaking was estimated to decline in magnitude within 4 hours after GPS collar fitting. These effects constitute a handling and/or habituation response (model dependent), with animals showing short-term responses in activity, behavior, and stress that dissipated within several hours to several days of being fitted with GPS collars. Importantly, none of our analyses indicated any long-term effects that would have more pressing animal welfare concerns.

ecology↗