Spot the (wildcat) hybrid not an easy task Dr Helen Senn Programme Manager RZSS WildGenes laboratory Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh Sarah Robinson Head of Conservation David Barclay Cat Project Officer
Outline Introduction to Scottish Wild Cat Action Technical genetic challenges Where we are at
Scottish Wildcat Action Estimated < 100 wildcats in the wild in Scotland Threats: habitat loss, hunting, hybridisation Scottish Wildcat Action first national plan for the species 5 years (till 2019) 23 partners RZSS is the partner on captive breeding & genetic analysis
Photo Peter Cairns
RZSS responsibilities: Captive breeding Genetics
Conservation breeding for release Captive pop Captive bred animals Surplus Conservation breeding population Wild pop Island trial Site surveys Site surveys Learning Trial releases Full releases + intensive postrelease monitoring
Conservation breeding for release GENETIC SCREENING 1 week to decide while cat is in quarantine GENETIC SCREENING Captive pop Captive bred animals Island trial Surplus Site surveys Conservation breeding population Site surveys Wild pop GENETIC MONITORING & GATHERING INFORMATION Learning Trial releases Full releases + postrelease monitoring
Technical Challenges
Hybridisation between native and invasive species blurs the boundary between victim and threat. Beaumont et al. 2001
Common ancestor (200,000 YA) What s happened? Hybridised population Translocation Decline Population growth Domestication. Artificial selections for specific traits (10,000 YA)
What s happening?
Technical challenges (1) Pelage scoring probably picks up on a narrow range of traits that may not be representative of fitness
Technical challenges (2) Genetics to the rescue? We don t yet know what genes make a wildcat wildcatty. Genetic tests rely on sampling a tiny sub-sample of the millions of genes and estimating % wild and domestic origin. The more genes genetic markers you look at the more accurate your estimate is. Cost & time trade-off to using lots of genetic markers..
Technical challenges (3) Too high and we loose cats with valuable genetic variation Too low and we are saving little better than current situation
Pelage Criteria (7PS) Blind-scored choice matrix Genetic Criteria (35 SNP) MATRIX 1 FAIL (<75%) UNCERTAIN (75?) PASS (>75%) <16 * 16-18 Further evaluation >18 Worst case scenario a cat looks like a wildcat and has a grandparent that is a domestic cat (Currently does not take mtdna into account, this is being monitored)
Where we are at now
Breeding reccommendations based on genetic and pelage criteria 8% 3% 89% Breed Awaiting pelage score Do not breed Screening of 100% of captive population (n=72)
N=29
N=12
Next steps Genomic methods to construct molecular studbook Data also provides independent verification of current test Project on taxonomy of Scottish vs European Wildcats PhD starting in September on whole genome analysis, strategies for breeding out introgression.
Zooquaria Autumn 2016 BIOBANKING
THANK YOU!
1857 vs 35 SNPs
<12 12-16 >16
Philosophical and communication challenges (1) What s the point of bothering if the genetic bar is so low? -saving genes -life boat of genetic variation for a time when populations can be reestablished free from threat of hybridisation. Natural section will then do its job. Can t you bring in wildcats from Europe? - Phylogenetics not yet resolved - Currently not favoured by the National Action Plan Team - Augmentation may be a step that need to be considered eventually based on further scientific knowledge.
Philosophical and communication challenges (2) Surely its better just to breed the purest wildcats and ignore the rest? - The opposite of hybridisation is inbreeding. We need to breed a population that it fit for release and has the potential to adapt to challenges - Selective breeding is against population management principles Surely we should do some more research first to be really sure where to set the bar? - Time is running out! - Adaptive management plan, underpinned by ongoing scientific research
Philosophical and communication challenges (3) This sounds a bit racist!? - Emphasise effect of fitness - Avoid communicating in anthropomorphic terms e.g purity. Surely it does not matter what the cat looks like, it s the cats function in the ecosystem that matters