Genetic Rescue of the Dinaric Lynx Population: Insights for Conservation From Genetic Monitoring and Individual-Based...

Area of Science:

• Conservation genetics
• Population dynamics
• Wildlife management

Background:

• Inbreeding depression threatens small populations with extinction due to deleterious mutations.
• Translocation-based population reinforcement is a viable strategy to increase genetic diversity and survival.
• The Dinaric Eurasian lynx population faced severe inbreeding (effective inbreeding = 0.316 in 2019), necessitating urgent conservation action.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of population reinforcement in the Dinaric lynx population.
• To evaluate the long-term viability and genetic health of the Dinaric lynx post-translocation.
• To develop sustainable conservation strategies for the Dinaric lynx and similar threatened populations.

Main Methods:

• Conducted genetic monitoring using 588 non-invasive and tissue samples for individual identification and parameter estimation.
• Implemented population reinforcement by translocating 12 Eurasian lynx from the Carpathian to the Dinaric Mountains (2019-2023).
• Utilized stochastic modelling to predict long-term population viability and inform conservation planning.

Main Results:

• Translocation significantly improved genetic diversity in the Dinaric lynx population.
• Stochastic modelling predicts a return to critical inbreeding levels within 45 years without continued management.
• Reinforcement alone is insufficient; ongoing genetic management is essential for long-term population survival.

Conclusions:

• The Dinaric lynx genetic rescue demonstrates the necessity of integrated conservation approaches.
• Long-term genetic management is critical to sustain the benefits of population reinforcement.
• This case study provides a valuable template for conserving other species facing inbreeding depression and extinction risks.