In situ and ex situ conservation genetics of the endangered Amur tiger. P. Henry *, T. Sugimoto, D. Miquelle, A. Caccone & M.

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1 In situ and ex situ conservation genetics of the endangered Amur tiger * P. Henry *, T. Sugimoto, D. Miquelle, A. Caccone & M. Russello *

2 The Amur Tiger: Background Panthera tigris altaica Population decline to 30 individuals in the 1940 s Critically endangered (IUCN red list) In situ conservation strategies Captive breeding program

3 The Amur Tiger: Background Panthera tigris altaica Population decline to 30 individuals in the 1940 s Critically endangered (IUCN red list) In situ conservation strategies Captive breeding program

4 The Amur Tiger: Background Panthera tigris altaica Population decline to 30 individuals in the 1940 s Critically endangered (IUCN red list) In situ conservation strategies Captive breeding program

5 The Amur Tiger: Background Panthera tigris altaica Population decline to 30 individuals in the 1940 s Critically endangered (IUCN red list) In situ conservation strategies Captive breeding program

6 The Amur Tiger: Background Panthera tigris altaica Population decline to 30 individuals in the 1940 s Critically endangered (IUCN red list) In situ conservation strategies Captive breeding program

7 Historic distribution Previously found in: Eastern China (Manchuria) The Korean Peninsula Russian Far East (RFE)

8 Present distribution Now mainly found in: - RFE - Small areas of China & North Korea Estimated 490 individuals left in the wild

9 Wild samples: 112 scat samples collected throughout current range representing 95 individuals Captive samples: 12 individuals from captive population (North American Zoos) Samples

10 Wild samples: 112 scat samples collected throughout current range representing 95 individual Captive samples: 12 individuals from captive population (North American Zoos) Samples

11 Molecular data collection 8 nuclear microsatellite loci Mitochondrial DNA control region sequences

12 Molecular data collection 8 nuclear microsatellite loci Mitochondrial DNA control region sequences

13 Objectives Investigate population genetic structure and demography of in situ population Assess the genetic representation of the in situ population in captivity

14 Objectives Investigate population genetic structure and demography of in situ population Assess the genetic representation of the in situ population in captivity

15 Population genetic structure Two hypothesized subpopulations separated by a development corridor All test of differentiation were not significant (F ST =0.0491, R ST =0.0272) Sikhote Alin SW Primorye

16 Population genetic structure Two hypothesized subpopulations separated by a development corridor All test of differentiation were not significant (F ST =0.0491, R ST =0.0272) Sikhote Alin SW Primorye

17 Demography in the wild There is no evidence for recent bottleneck on three commonly used tests for bottleneck. (Luikart et al Garza & Williamson 2001) Tests for population expansion indicate significant expansion. (Reich et al. 1999) Estimates of effective population vary from 22 to 57 individuals with a mean estimate of 35 individuals (Tallmon et al. 2008)

18 Demography in the wild There is no evidence for recent bottleneck on three commonly used tests for bottleneck. (Luikart et al Garza & Williamson 2001) Tests for population expansion indicate significant expansion. (Reich et al. 1999) Estimates of effective population vary from 22 to 57 individuals with a mean estimate of 35 individuals (Tallmon et al. 2008)

19 Demography in the wild There is no evidence for recent bottleneck on three commonly used tests for bottleneck. (Luikart et al Garza & Williamson 2001) Tests for population expansion indicate significant expansion. (Reich et al. 1999) Estimates of effective population vary from 22 to 57 individuals with a mean estimate of 35 individuals (Tallmon et al. 2008)

20 Genetic representation ex situ Genetic diversity not significantly different No significant differentiation (F ST = , R ST = ) 3 private alleles detected ex situ

21 Genetic representation ex situ Genetic diversity not significantly different No significant differentiation (F ST = , R ST = ) 3 private alleles detected ex situ Axe 1 (10.51%)

22 Genetic representation ex situ Genetic diversity not significantly different No significant differentiation (F ST = , R ST = ) 3 private alleles detected ex situ

23 Significance of results Population structure and demography in situ: - The development corridor does not represent a barrier to gene flow between the Sikhote Alin and SW Primorye - Population expansion may be responsible for the lack of genetic signature of a bottleneck - Effective population size is 10 X smaller than the census

24 Significance of results Population structure and demography in situ: - The development corridor does not represent a barrier to gene flow between the Sikhote Alin and SW Primorye - Population expansion may be responsible for the lack of genetic signature of a bottleneck - Effective population size is 10 X smaller than the census

25 Significance of results Population structure and demography in situ: - The development corridor does not represent a barrier to gene flow between the Sikhote Alin and SW Primorye - Population expansion may be responsible for the lack of genetic signature of a bottleneck - Effective population size is 10 X smaller than the census

26 Significance of results Genetic representation ex situ - Ex situ sample is representative of the genetic variation found in situ - Some genetic resources (3 alleles) found ex situ were absent in situ

27 Significance of results Genetic representation ex situ - Ex situ sample is representative of the genetic variation found in situ - Some genetic resources (3 alleles) found ex situ were absent in situ

28 Concluding remarks The captive breeding program was successful in maintaining a representative sample of the wild population Conservation measures in situ will need to be continued to ensure the survival of the species as it may be vulnerable to continued humanmediated stresses as well as environmental stochasticity

29 Concluding remarks The captive breeding program was successful in maintaining a representative sample of the wild population Conservation measures in situ will need to be continued to ensure the survival of the species as it may be vulnerable to continued humanmediated stresses as well as environmental stochasticity

30 Acknowledgements Students: Rebecca Catapano-Friedman (YALE) Lisa Young (YALE) Helpful discussions: Anders Gonçalves da Silva (UBC O) Jérôme Goudet (UNIL) Photo credit: Elvis Payne Tobi British Ashley Darby Funding: WCS Species Survival Fund Conservation Award (MR) American Philosophical Society (MR) Christensen Fund (DM) Collaborators: A. A. Astafiev (Sihkote-Alin Zapovednik) Y. M. Dunishenko, E. N. Smirnov, G. Alkina, V. G. Abramov, D. G. Pikuno (Amur Tiger Monitoring program) John Goodrich (WCS) Kathy Traylor-Holzer (CBSG)

31 Thank you for your attention!