Disease as a threat to endangered species: Ethiopian wolves, domestic dogs and canine pathogens

Laurenson, Karen; Sillero‐Zubiri, Claudio; Thompson, Harold Lincoln; Shiferaw, Fekadu; Thirgood, Simon; Malcolm, James

doi:10.1017/s1367943098000250

Cited by 35 publications

(38 citation statements)

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“…Free-ranging or feral dogs ( C. lupus familiaris ) are widely distributed and can hybridize with wild canids [22]–[24]. Hybridizing dogs are threatening the survival of endangered species such as the Ethiopian wolf ( C. simensis ) [25], [26] and the genetic integrity of several populations of grey wolves ( C. lupus ) [27]–[32]. Most of the wolf populations in central and western Europe dramatically declined during the last few centuries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multilocus Detection of Wolf x Dog Hybridization in Italy, and Guidelines for Marker Selection

et al. 2014

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Hybridization and introgression can impact the evolution of natural populations. Several wild canid species hybridize in nature, sometimes originating new taxa. However, hybridization with free-ranging dogs is threatening the genetic integrity of grey wolf populations (Canis lupus), or even the survival of endangered species (e.g., the Ethiopian wolf C. simensis). Efficient molecular tools to assess hybridization rates are essential in wolf conservation strategies. We evaluated the power of biparental and uniparental markers (39 autosomal and 4 Y-linked microsatellites, a melanistic deletion at the β-defensin CBD103 gene, the hypervariable domain of the mtDNA control-region) to identify the multilocus admixture patterns in wolf x dog hybrids. We used empirical data from 2 hybrid groups with different histories: 30 presumptive natural hybrids from Italy and 73 Czechoslovakian wolfdogs of known hybrid origin, as well as simulated data. We assessed the efficiency of various marker combinations and reference samples in admixture analyses using 69 dogs of different breeds and 99 wolves from Italy, Balkans and Carpathian Mountains. Results confirmed the occurrence of hybrids in Italy, some of them showing anomalous phenotypic traits and exogenous mtDNA or Y-chromosome introgression. Hybridization was mostly attributable to village dogs and not strictly patrilineal. The melanistic β-defensin deletion was found only in Italian dogs and in putative hybrids. The 24 most divergent microsatellites (largest wolf-dog FST values) were equally or more informative than the entire panel of 39 loci. A smaller panel of 12 microsatellites increased risks to identify false admixed individuals. The frequency of F1 and F2 was lower than backcrosses or introgressed individuals, suggesting hybridization already occurred some generations in the past, during early phases of wolf expansion from their historical core areas. Empirical and simulated data indicated the identification of the past generation backcrosses is always uncertain, and a larger number of ancestry-informative markers is needed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multilocus Detection of Wolf x Dog Hybridization in Italy, and Guidelines for Marker Selection

et al. 2014

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“…In addition, O’Brien & Evermann (1988) suggested that organisms with low MHC variation, such as many endangered species, might have high susceptibility to infectious disease. In addition, it has been widely recognized that mortality from pathogens and parasites may be a significant extinction threat (Lyles & Dobson 1993; Laurenson et al . 1998; Murray et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Major histocompatibility complex variation in red wolves: evidence for common ancestry with coyotes and balancing selection

2002

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We examined variation at a class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene (DRB1) in the captive red wolf population and samples of coyotes from Texas and North Carolina. We found 4 alleles in the 48 red wolves, 8 alleles in the 10 coyotes from Texas and 15 alleles in the 29 coyotes from North Carolina. Two of the four alleles found in red wolves, Caru-2 and Caru-4, were found in both the Texas and North Carolina coyote samples. Allele Caru-1, previously found in gray wolves, was also found in the North Carolina sample. The most frequent red wolf allele, Caru-3, was not found in any of the coyote samples. However, an allele found in both the Texas and North Carolina coyote samples is only one nucleotide (one amino acid) different from this red wolf allele. Overall, it appears from examination of this MHC gene that red wolves are more closely related to coyotes than to gray wolves. There were a number of different types of evidence supporting the action of balancing selection in red wolves. Namely, there was: (i) an excess of heterozygotes compared with expectations; (ii) a higher rate of nonsynonymous than synonymous substitution for the functionally important antigen-binding site positions; (iii) an eight times higher average heterozygosity of individual amino acids at the positions identified as part of the antigen-binding site than those not associated with it; (iv) the amino acid divergence of four red wolf alleles was greater than that expected from a simulation of genetic drift; and (v) the distribution of alleles, and the distributions of amino acids at many positions were more even than expected from neutrality. Examination of the level and pattern of linkage disequilibria between pairs of sites suggest that the heterozygosity, substitution and frequencies at individual amino acids are not highly dependent upon each other.

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“…and Coyotes Canis latrans occupying much of the remaining Ferret habitat, and threaten the successful establishment of reintroduced populations (Thorne & Williams 1988). Similarly, an increase in rabies outbreaks associated with increasing domestic dog populations threatens many African carnivores, including the endangered Ethiopian Wolf Canis simiensis (Laurenson et al . 1998).…”

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The incidence of the parasitic disease trichomoniasis and its treatment in reintroduced and wild Pink PigeonsColumba mayeri

Swinnerton

Greenwood

Chapman

et al. 2005

Ibis

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The recovery programme for the endangered Pink Pigeon Columba mayeri Prévost, 1843 of Mauritius has involved intensive management to promote rapid population growth. As the Pink Pigeon population has increased in size and distribution, disease problems have emerged that have affected wild and reintroduced birds. Trichomoniasis first appeared in the remnant wild population in 1992, and became established in a reintroduced subpopulation on the offshore island of Ile aux Aigrettes. We aimed to control the disease by treating individuals and, on Ile aux Aigrettes, by routinely treating the population with medicated drinking water. On Ile aux Aigrettes, 49% of squabs were clinically diseased and only 27% of all squabs survived without treatment. Treatment of squabs that were not clinically diseased improved survival from 36 to 82%, suggesting that subclinical infections also affected survival. Subclinical infections were demonstrated by microscopy in 22% of Pink Pigeons and 17% of exotic doves on Ile aux Aigrettes. Clinical disease was observed in 4.5% of adults and 3.1% of juveniles, but more juveniles than adults died from the disease. It is likely that Trichomoniasis and other diseases will continue to affect the Pink Pigeon's recovery and the species may require long‐term management to counteract the effects of disease and other limiting factors.

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Disease as a threat to endangered species: Ethiopian wolves, domestic dogs and canine pathogens

Cited by 35 publications

References 0 publications

Multilocus Detection of Wolf x Dog Hybridization in Italy, and Guidelines for Marker Selection

Multilocus Detection of Wolf x Dog Hybridization in Italy, and Guidelines for Marker Selection

Major histocompatibility complex variation in red wolves: evidence for common ancestry with coyotes and balancing selection

The incidence of the parasitic disease trichomoniasis and its treatment in reintroduced and wild Pink PigeonsColumba mayeri

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