Genetics and Genomics: Powerful Tools for Wildlife Conservation

The true conservation status of the African lion (Panthera leo) is in question due to lack of knowledge regarding genetic diversity and conflicting estimates of population size.  For example, in Zambia, although the lion has a large distribution, there are limited estimates of both population size and genetic sub-structure. This lack of reliable information compromises conservation decisions, some of which, such as the banning of trophy hunting, could have a profound impact on both the long-term security of the species as well as Zambia’s economy.

Through analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA; 12S and 16S genes) and nuclear DNA (nDNA; 12 microsatellites) markers of 450 lions from the eight main areas in Zambia, we calculated the extent of genetic diversity in the Zambian lion populations.  Microsatellites were chosen for analysis based on chromosome location, and heterozygosity, number of alleles and allelic richness as determined by previous studies on the lion.  Microsatellite markers used in previous studies were initially described for the domestic cat. To increase specificity and reliability, primers were redesigned specifically for the African lion through electronic polymerase chain reaction (ePCR) of the sequence read archive of the African lion genome aligned to the tiger genome.  

This analysis is intended to aid policy makers in Zambia and other African countries with lions by suggesting a set of markers to best assess the level of genetic diversity within the population and provide a reliable estimate of the population size based on the genetic health of the population.