Assessing the genetic integrity of captive and wild populations for reintroduction programs: the case of Cabot's Tragopan in China

Reintroduction of captive-bred animals into suitable habitats is an important technique for the long-term conservation and recovery of populations of endangered species in fragmented landscapes. Inbreeding depression is an inherent risk when using captive populations for reintroduction programs and needs to be carefully assessed prior to reintroduction. In this study, we evaluated inbreeding levels within a captive breeding program and one remnant wild population of Cabot's Tragopan (Tragopan caboti), an endangered pheasant species endemic to China, for which reintroduction is now an essential conservation strategy for long-term population persistence. Fifteen highly polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed to genotype individuals. Inbreeding coefficients (F_IS) reveal that there is no evidence of inbreeding within the Tragopan Breeding Center of Beijing Normal University (TBCBNU) captive population and the remnant population from the Wuyi-Yandang Mountains. Diversity of origin, large founder population size and a rational breeding strategy are the most critical factors preventing inbreeding depression within the TBCBNU captive population. We suggest that the TBCBNU population is a suitable candidate stock for T. caboti reintroduction programs and that there is an urgent need to better coordinate and strengthen reproduction management of captive T. caboti populations to sustain the long-term ex situ conservation of the species.