Is the Most Endangered Cat Species in the World May Not Be At the Risk of Extinction We Thought it Was!
August 21, 2011
University College London
Scientists thought that low genetic diversity in the Iberian Lynx would cause the animal already living in small populations to become possibly extinct, but research shows that from up to 50,000 years ago the genetic diversity was low. This surprised a lead author of the study Ricardo Rodriguez.
"One clear message of our study is that a lack of genetic diversity in an endangered species should not hamper conservation efforts." said Dr. Cristina Valdiosera from Copenhagen University. "It's a myth that certain species are doomed by their genetics. If a species is doomed, it is only doomed by a lack of will to conserve it."
I thought the article was very interesting. It is a similar case to the cheetah it has been living with low genetic diversity for a while and that does not seem to bother it as much as scientists would have thought. I agree with Cristina Valdiosera, if our conservation acts for endangered species are failing, it is because there is in fact a lack of will to conserve them. I thought this relates to class because the article itself talks about interbreeding caused low genetic diversity in DNA and RNA.
University College London (2011, August 21). Iberian lynx not doomed by its genetics. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 28, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2011/08/110821191435.htm
I thought the article was very interesting. It is a similar case to the cheetah it has been living with low genetic diversity for a while and that does not seem to bother it as much as scientists would have thought. I agree with Cristina Valdiosera, if our conservation acts for endangered species are failing, it is because there is in fact a lack of will to conserve them. I thought this relates to class because the article itself talks about interbreeding caused low genetic diversity in DNA and RNA.
University College London (2011, August 21). Iberian lynx not doomed by its genetics. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 28, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2011/08/110821191435.htm
