Parentage analysis in a free-ranging, closed population of southern white rhinoceros : genetics, pedigrees and management
type: CreativeWork
description: Small populations of animals are vulnerable to the consequences of breeding within a closed group – inbreeding depression and genetic drift lead to reductions in genetic variability, which in turn can give rise to the amplification of deleterious traits. Traditionally, managers attempt to minimise these effects by controlling the genetic structure via a manipulation of the paternal line, in the case of rhinos usually by translocation of breeding and sub-adult bulls. This strategy depends on having access to detailed pedigree data, and, in particular, some knowledge of the parentage of the offspring within the population. This information is particularly difficult to obtain in long-lived, free-ranging populations (particularly for rare and endangered species) where the identity of the father must be inferred from behavioural observations, and often the identity of the mother cannot be determined once juveniles have dispersed. In this thesis I present the results of a study to determine the parentage within a free-ranging, enclosed population of southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) located on Ongava Game Reserve (OGR) in the north of Namibia. I used genetic techniques to obtain a genotype for each animal in the population, and then used detailed reserve management records from the period 1993-2009 to constrain the statistical process of parentage assignment. Using these different methods, I was able to assign both parents for 22 of 23 offspring with 80% confidence (16 of 23 at 95% confidence, mother only in 1 of 23), making this study the first to successfully complete a comprehensive parentage analysis in a free-ranging population of southern white rhinoceros. The key to the success of this study was a combination of accurate pedigree data and a complete set of genotype data. The parentage assignments allowed me to construct a complete lineage diagram for each of the founder matrilines, and further analyse the status and reproductive success of the p…
abstract: Small populations of animals are vulnerable to the consequences of breeding within a closed group – inbreeding depression and genetic drift lead to reductions in genetic variability, which in turn can give rise to the amplification of deleterious traits. Traditionally, managers attempt to minimise these effects by controlling the genetic structure via a manipulation of the paternal line, in the case of rhinos usually by translocation of breeding and sub-adult bulls. This strategy depends on having access to detailed pedigree data, and, in particular, some knowledge of the parentage of the offspring within the population. This information is particularly difficult to obtain in long-lived, free-ranging populations (particularly for rare and endangered species) where the identity of the father must be inferred from behavioural observations, and often the identity of the mother cannot be determined once juveniles have dispersed. In this thesis I present the results of a study to determine the parentage within a free-ranging, enclosed population of southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) located on Ongava Game Reserve (OGR) in the north of Namibia. I used genetic techniques to obtain a genotype for each animal in the population, and then used detailed reserve management records from the period 1993-2009 to constrain the statistical process of parentage assignment. Using these different methods, I was able to assign both parents for 22 of 23 offspring with 80% confidence (16 of 23 at 95% confidence, mother only in 1 of 23), making this study the first to successfully complete a comprehensive parentage analysis in a free-ranging population of southern white rhinoceros. The key to the success of this study was a combination of accurate pedigree data and a complete set of genotype data. The parentage assignments allowed me to construct a complete lineage diagram for each of the founder matrilines, and further analyse the status and reproductive success of the p…
keywords: Genetics, Southern white rhinoceros, UCTD
date published: 2012-11-09
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:52:53Z
provider: University of Pretoria
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Pretoria

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29322