scholarly journals Effects of Different Nursing Methods on the Behavioral Response of Adult Captive Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca)

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 626
Author(s):  
Ming-Yue Zhang ◽  
Xiao-Hui Zhang ◽  
James Ayala ◽  
Rong Hou
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Ex Situ Conservation ◽  
Breeding Program ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Ailuropoda Melanoleuca ◽  
Giant Pandas ◽  
Conservation Breeding

Although the ex situ conservation breeding program has basically created self-sustaining populations and genetic diversity in captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) [...]

scholarly journals First Captive Breeding Program for the Endangered Pyrenean Sculpin (Cottus hispaniolensis Bacescu-Master, 1964)

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2986
Author(s):  
Joan Manubens ◽  
Oriol Comas ◽  
Núria Valls ◽  
Lluís Benejam
Keyword(s):  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Ex Situ Conservation ◽  
Breeding Program ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Freshwater Species ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Captive Breeding Program ◽  
Critical Phases ◽  
Conservation Plans

The strong decline of freshwater fish species in Europe implies that further ex-situ conservation plans should be implemented in the near future. The present study reflects our experience with the Pyrenean sculpin (Cottus hispaniolensis Bacescu-Mester, 1964)—a small cottid endemic to the Hispano-French Garona River basin. In recent years, the Spanish Pyrenean sculpin population has reached a limit situation. Because of that, the non-profit association ADEFFA—with support from the public administration—started the first captive breeding program for this species in 2006. Fourteen years later, this study presents the results and evaluates the different steps of the program, with the aim of discussing and improving the ex-situ conservation plans for this and other cold freshwater species. There is a description and a comparison between six consecutive phases during the captive breeding process: nesting behaviour, courtship, egg fixation, parental care (incubation), hatching and survival during juvenile development. The purposes of this project are to: (1) identify the most determining phases for a successful captive breeding; (2) identify the factors that had a major influence to the success of the critical phases; and (3) increase the number of the offspring. This study is based on thirty-three wild individuals collected from Garona River (Val d’Aran, Spanish Pyrenees). During the program, twelve couples spawned in captive conditions, with around 2300 eggs laid. Eight couples bred successfully, with 751 hatched individuals and 608 juveniles reared. The analysis of each step of the captive breeding does not reveal significant differences between phases, so it can be concluded that they are all critical at the same level. In the literature, similar study-cases of captive breeding programs identify incubation and survival phases as the most critical. Consequently, the management made for this project has probably allowed to overcome in part the main impediments described in other similar programs.

Genetic diversity among and within populations of Raphanus raphanistrum and Brassica tournefortii (Brassicaceae) in Israel: a case study for planning ex situ conservation program of crop wild relatives

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 153-160
Author(s):  
Oz Barazani ◽  
Nir Hanin ◽  
Prabodh Kumar Bajpai ◽  
Yoni Waitz ◽  
Michal Barzilai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Ex Situ Conservation ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Crop Wild Relatives ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Raphanus Raphanistrum ◽  
Brassica Tournefortii

The winter annuals Brassica tournefortii and Raphanus raphanistrum (Brassicaceae) share similar habitats and life-history traits, but differ in their reproduction system (self-compatibility vs. self-incompatibility, respectively). The two phylogenetically close species offer means to assess the effect of reproductive biology on genetic diversity between and within populations. In general, genetic diversity between populations of B. tournefortii was higher than that found between populations of R. raphanistrum, while higher genetic diversity indices were evident within populations of R. raphanistrum. In addition, the results of pairwise genetic distances indicated that the genetic distances between populations can be associated to the species’ reproductive biology and not to the population’s distribution pattern. We discuss whether knowledge of reproductive and habitat characteristics can be used to predict genetic diversity when planning sampling scheme for ex situ conservation.

scholarly journals SEROSURVEY OF EX SITU GIANT PANDAS (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA) AND RED PANDAS (AILURUS FULGENS) IN CHINA WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR SPECIES CONSERVATION

2007 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 559-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Kati Loeffler ◽  
JoGayle Howard ◽  
Richard J. Montali ◽  
Lee-Ann Hayek ◽  
Edward Dubovi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Conservation ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Ailuropoda Melanoleuca ◽  
Giant Pandas ◽  
Ailurus Fulgens

Lost populations and preserving genetic diversity in the lion Panthera leo: Implications for its ex situ conservation

2006 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross Barnett ◽  
Nobuyuki Yamaguchi ◽  
Ian Barnes ◽  
Alan Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Ex Situ Conservation ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Panthera Leo

scholarly journals Prospective Study on the Excretion of Mucous Stools and its Association with Age, Gender, and Feces Output in Captive Giant Pandas

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 264
Author(s):  
Zixiang Li ◽  
Xuefeng Liu ◽  
Juan Zhao ◽  
Yanhui Liu ◽  
Haihong Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Study ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Ailuropoda Melanoleuca ◽  
Giant Pandas ◽  
High Fiber ◽  
Fecal Output ◽  
Seasonal Factors ◽  
The Mean

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) has evolved a large number of mucous glands in the intestinal lining to adapt to the digestion of high-fiber foods. However, in captive pandas, excessive mucus might form a mass and then be eliminated, which is often accompanied by discomfort and decreased activity. This event is called ‘mucous excretion’. The causes of mucus excretions in captive pandas, however, remain unknown. The aims of this study were to document the occurrence of mucus excretion and to investigate its possible associations with pandas’ age, gender, and feces output. Eighteen giant pandas were studied at the Beijing Zoo from April 2003 to June 2017, and a total of 900 occurrences of mucous excretion and 32,856 daily defecation outputs in weight were recorded. The likelihood of mucous excretion occurrence decreased by 11.34% for each 1 kg of fecal output (Z = −4.12, p < 0.0001), while it increased by 5.89% per year of age (Z = 4.02, p < 0.0001). However, individual differences in gender had no significant effect on the mucous occurrence (Z = −0.75, p = 0.4508). A monthly change in mucus occurrence was also found. The mean frequency of mucus occurrence was significantly higher in October. In August, time (month) change showed the biggest negative influence on feces output but the biggest positive influence on mucus excretion (seasonal factors were −2.261 and 0.0126, respectively). Our results documented the occurrence of mucous excretions and confirmed their possible associations with the pandas’ age and fecal output based on a 15-year prospective study. This study not only adds to our knowledge of panda physiology but also suggests the need for further studies examining the causes of the excretion of mucous stools in captive pandas. Reducing the incidence of mucous excretion would promote ex situ conservation and enhance panda welfare.

scholarly journals Microsatellite variability reveals high genetic diversity and low genetic differentiation in a critical giant panda population

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 717-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiandong Yang ◽  
Zhihe Zhang ◽  
Fujun Shen ◽  
Xuyu Yang ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Differentiation ◽  
Giant Panda ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Ailuropoda Melanoleuca ◽  
High Genetic Diversity ◽  
Giant Pandas ◽  
Allele Number ◽  
High Level

Abstract Understanding present patterns of genetic diversity is critical in order to design effective conservation and management strategies for endangered species. Tangjiahe Nature Reserve (NR) is one of the most important national reserves for giant pandas Ailuropoda melanoleuca in China. Previous studies have shown that giant pandas in Tangjiahe NR may be threatened by population decline and fragmentation. Here we used 10 microsatellite DNA markers to assess the genetic variability in the Tangjiahe population. The results indicate a low level of genetic differentiation between the Hongshihe and Motianling subpopulations in the reserve. Assignment tests using the Bayesian clustering method in STRUCTURE identified one genetic cluster from 42 individuals of the two subpopulations. All individuals from the same subpopulation were assigned to one cluster. This indicates high gene flow between subpopulations. F statistic analyses revealed a low FIS-value of 0.024 in the total population and implies a randomly mating population in Tangjiahe NR. Additionally, our data show a high level of genetic diversity for the Tangjiahe population. Mean allele number (A), Allelic richness (AR) and mean expected heterozygosity (HE) for the Tangjiahe population was 5.9, 5.173 and 0.703, respectively. This wild giant panda population can be restored through concerted effort.

scholarly journals Taxonomic similarity does not predict necessary sample size for ex situ conservation: a comparison among five genera

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1926) ◽  
pp. 20200102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Hoban ◽  
Taylor Callicrate ◽  
John Clark ◽  
Susan Deans ◽  
Michael Dosmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Sample Size ◽  
Sampling Design ◽  
Ex Situ Conservation ◽  
Threshold Level ◽  
Genetic Conservation ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Genus One

Effectively conserving biodiversity with limited resources requires scientifically informed and efficient strategies. Guidance is particularly needed on how many living plants are necessary to conserve a threshold level of genetic diversity in ex situ collections. We investigated this question for 11 taxa across five genera. In this first study analysing and optimizing ex situ genetic diversity across multiple genera, we found that the percentage of extant genetic diversity currently conserved varies among taxa from 40% to 95%. Most taxa are well below genetic conservation targets. Resampling datasets showed that ideal collection sizes vary widely even within a genus: one taxon typically required at least 50% more individuals than another (though Quercus was an exception). Still, across taxa, the minimum collection size to achieve genetic conservation goals is within one order of magnitude. Current collections are also suboptimal: they could remain the same size yet capture twice the genetic diversity with an improved sampling design. We term this deficiency the ‘genetic conservation gap’. Lastly, we show that minimum collection sizes are influenced by collection priorities regarding the genetic diversity target. In summary, current collections are insufficient (not reaching targets) and suboptimal (not efficiently designed), and we show how improvements can be made.

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