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Influence of genetic provenance and birth origin on productivity of the Tasmanian devil insurance population

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Abstract

An insurance population for the critically endangered Tasmanian devil was established in 2006. Due to successful captive breeding, the population has reached its carrying capacity of 600 devils and retains 99.95 % of founding gene diversity. Although reproduction has been quite successful, possible relatedness among founding individuals, influences of genetic provenance and pairing success on female productivity were evaluated to further refine insurance population management. Ten polymorphic microsatellite markers were used to assess the founders. Although the data were ultimately insufficient for determining specific founder relationships, a STRUCTURE analysis determined founders to be of eastern or western provenance. Western provenance animals had an observed heterozygosity of 0.38; while eastern provenance was 0.41. Allelic frequencies between the two provenances were similar. Although differences in pairing success of eastern and western provenance animals were noted, there was no difference in overall productivity (number of joeys/female). Cross-provenance pairings were not as successful as W–W but had similar productivity, and produced viable offspring. Birth origin (wild-born vs. zoo-born) had no influence on pairing success but wild-born females produce significantly more joeys/female. For zoo-born females, the number of joeys produced per female had a downward trend between respective generations in captivity. Current and future population managers should be aware of potential reductions in productivity across captive generations and adjust breeding recommendations accordingly. The ability to recruit founders from diseased females, along with a better understanding of the influence of genetic provenance and birth origin on productivity, has led to changes in acquisition of future founders for this insurance population.

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Acknowledgments

There are, and have been, a significant number of contributors to the Tasmanian devil insurance population over the past 10 years. Although there are too many to name special thanks go to A. Kelly, P. Andrew, A. Sharman, M. Holdsworth, H. Williams, J. Hockley and H. Hesterman for their commitment to the establishment of the insurance population. Thanks also to the field teams who sourced the original founders, the countless keepers who work diligently to house, breed and transfer the animals, and most importantly the zoos who make a significant financial contribution through their housing of over 600 devils. Thank you to R. Frankham for his comments on the provenance pairing analysis in its early stages; and an anonymous reviewer for their comments. The insurance population has been facilitated and supported by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

All Tasmanian devil recruited as part of the insurance population where done so under permit and the standard operating procedure of the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Population, Water and the Environment. This study was funded by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program and the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia, P. O. Box 20, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia

    Carolyn J. Hogg & Chris Hibbard

  2. San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, CA, USA

    Jamie A. Ivy

  3. Healesville Sanctuary, Healesville, VIC, Australia

    Carla Srb

  4. Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Population, Water and the Environment, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    Jocelyn Hockley

  5. Conservation Breeding Specialist Group Australasia, Auckland, New Zealand

    Caroline Lees

  6. School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    Menna Jones

Authors
  1. Carolyn J. Hogg
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  2. Jamie A. Ivy
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  3. Carla Srb
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  4. Jocelyn Hockley
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  5. Caroline Lees
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  6. Chris Hibbard
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  7. Menna Jones
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Correspondence to Carolyn J. Hogg.

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Hogg, C.J., Ivy, J.A., Srb, C. et al. Influence of genetic provenance and birth origin on productivity of the Tasmanian devil insurance population. Conserv Genet 16, 1465–1473 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-015-0754-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-015-0754-9

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