Threatened Species? Science to the (Genetic) Rescue!
The pink pigeon of Mauritius is nearing extinction much like the dodo bird, who used to share the island with many other pigeon species. In 1990, there were a total of nine individuals; however, there has been a steady incline, reaching 400 individuals by 2017. Although the population increase seems promising for the pink pigeon, unfortunately the genetic diversity of the group is still very minimal. These pigeons are susceptible to a parasite-causing disease called trichomonosis that can kill more than half of the chicks produced. Scientists are trying to help these birds by better understanding their genetic diversity to overcome the block in population growth. Through conservation genetics, is possible to introduce specific individuals that may be less vulnerable to trichomonosis, or someday directly edit the pigeon’s genes themselves. Scientists plan to introduce wild and captive pigeons that have been sampled and cleared for breeding to help them evade extinction. This approach has been applied to many other animals like the Florida panther and the Illinois prairie chicken.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/threatened-species-science-genetic-rescue-180963040/
Kristin Carline | potluck contribution | 4/6/20
No comments:
Post a Comment