No paternal genetic integration in desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) following translocation into an existing population
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Published source details
Mulder K.P., Walde A.D., Boarman W.I., Woodman A.P., Latch E.K. & Fleischer R.C. (2017) No paternal genetic integration in desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) following translocation into an existing population. Biological Conservation, 210, 318-324.
Published source details Mulder K.P., Walde A.D., Boarman W.I., Woodman A.P., Latch E.K. & Fleischer R.C. (2017) No paternal genetic integration in desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) following translocation into an existing population. Biological Conservation, 210, 318-324.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Translocate adult or juvenile reptiles: Tortoises, terrapins, side-necked & softshell turtles Action Link |
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Translocate adult or juvenile reptiles: Tortoises, terrapins, side-necked & softshell turtles
A replicated study in 2008–2012 in desert shrubland in California, USA (Mulder et al. 2017) found that some translocated Agassiz’s desert tortoises Gopherus agassizii survived at least 4 years in the wild and bred, but that all hatchlings tested, including those from resident females, were sired by resident and not translocated male tortoises. Four years after being released, at least 13 translocated female Agassiz’s desert tortoises were found to have laid eggs. Of 34 clutches laid by translocated and resident female Agassiz’s desert tortoises, none of 35 hatchlings tested were sired by translocated male Agassiz’s desert tortoises. In spring 2008, a total of 570 tortoises (184 females, 293 males, 93 juveniles) were translocated to a 1,000 km2 area, which already had a population of resident tortoises. In April–July 2012, clutches laid by translocated (13 individuals) and resident (21 individuals) female tortoises were located and hatchlings (35 individuals) tested to establish paternity by comparing DNA against a reference database (which included 190 resident males and 305/386 translocated adult and juvenile males). If no significant match with the database was found, the authors assumed that an unknown resident tortoise was the sire. Both translocated (31 individuals) and resident male tortoises (37 individuals) were known to frequent the study area.
(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
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