Revealing the genetic structure and its underlying causes of snow leopard populations in Mongolia

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18471
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Conservation of biological resources
• Research Institution: Tottori University
• Principal Investigator: Sugimoto Taro 鳥取大学, 乾燥地研究センター, プロジェクト研究員 (20570493)
• Research Collaborator: Buyanaa Chimeddorj WWF, プログラム実行マネージャー
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 保全生物 / 集団遺伝学 / ユキヒョウ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purposes of this study are to reveal genetic structure of snow leopard populations in western Mongolia and contribute to effective conservation and management of this species. We genetically analyzed fecal samples collected from multiple areas in western Mongolia and found low genetic differentiation and no significant differences in genetic diversity among populations, which suggests that gene flow among populations persists in western Mongolia. To conserve snow leopards in western Mongolia, maintaining the connectivity among patchily distributed habitats is essential. Fecal genetic analyses developed in this study will be useful for genetic monitoring of snow leopard populations.

Free Research Field

保全生物学