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Individual Identification and Genetic Variation of Lions (Panthera leo) from Two Protected Areas in Nigeria.

Tende, Talatu LU ; Hansson, Bengt LU orcid ; Ottosson, Ulf ; Akesson, Mikael and Bensch, Staffan LU (2014) In PLoS ONE 9(1).
Abstract
This survey was conducted in two protected areas in Nigeria to genetically identify individual lions and to determine the genetic variation within and between the populations. We used faecal sample DNA, a non-invasive alternative to the risky and laborious task of taking samples directly from the animals, often preceded by catching and immobilization. Data collection in Yankari Game Reserve (YGR) spanned through a period of five years (2008 -2012), whereas data in Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) was gathered for a period of three years (2009, 2010 and 2012). We identified a minimum of eight individuals (2 males, 3 females, 3 unknown) from YGR and a minimum of ten individuals (7 males, 3 females) from KLNP. The two populations were found... (More)
This survey was conducted in two protected areas in Nigeria to genetically identify individual lions and to determine the genetic variation within and between the populations. We used faecal sample DNA, a non-invasive alternative to the risky and laborious task of taking samples directly from the animals, often preceded by catching and immobilization. Data collection in Yankari Game Reserve (YGR) spanned through a period of five years (2008 -2012), whereas data in Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) was gathered for a period of three years (2009, 2010 and 2012). We identified a minimum of eight individuals (2 males, 3 females, 3 unknown) from YGR and a minimum of ten individuals (7 males, 3 females) from KLNP. The two populations were found to be genetically distinct as shown by the relatively high fixation index (FST = 0.17) with each population exhibiting signs of inbreeding (YGR FIS = 0.49, KLNP FIS = 0.38). The genetic differentiation between the Yankari and Kainji lions is assumed to result from large spatial geographic distance and physical barriers reducing gene flow between these two remaining wild lion populations in Nigeria. To mitigate the probable inbreeding depression in the lion populations within Nigeria it might be important to transfer lions between parks or reserves or to reintroduce lions from the zoos back to the wild. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
9
issue
1
article number
e84288
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • wos:000329868200023
  • pmid:24427283
  • scopus:84897475519
  • pmid:24427283
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0084288
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7bd99f7b-48af-438a-88a6-6bff2b58f6bb (old id 4291424)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:00:08
date last changed
2022-04-14 20:46:30
@article{7bd99f7b-48af-438a-88a6-6bff2b58f6bb,
  abstract     = {{This survey was conducted in two protected areas in Nigeria to genetically identify individual lions and to determine the genetic variation within and between the populations. We used faecal sample DNA, a non-invasive alternative to the risky and laborious task of taking samples directly from the animals, often preceded by catching and immobilization. Data collection in Yankari Game Reserve (YGR) spanned through a period of five years (2008 -2012), whereas data in Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) was gathered for a period of three years (2009, 2010 and 2012). We identified a minimum of eight individuals (2 males, 3 females, 3 unknown) from YGR and a minimum of ten individuals (7 males, 3 females) from KLNP. The two populations were found to be genetically distinct as shown by the relatively high fixation index (FST = 0.17) with each population exhibiting signs of inbreeding (YGR FIS = 0.49, KLNP FIS = 0.38). The genetic differentiation between the Yankari and Kainji lions is assumed to result from large spatial geographic distance and physical barriers reducing gene flow between these two remaining wild lion populations in Nigeria. To mitigate the probable inbreeding depression in the lion populations within Nigeria it might be important to transfer lions between parks or reserves or to reintroduce lions from the zoos back to the wild.}},
  author       = {{Tende, Talatu and Hansson, Bengt and Ottosson, Ulf and Akesson, Mikael and Bensch, Staffan}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Individual Identification and Genetic Variation of Lions (Panthera leo) from Two Protected Areas in Nigeria.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084288}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0084288}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}