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21 - Analysis of demographic and genetic trends for developing a captive breeding masterplan for the giant panda
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- By Jonathan D. Ballou, National Zoological Park, Philip S. Miller, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Zhong Xie, Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens, Rongping Wei, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Hemin Zhang, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Anju Zhang, Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Foundation, Shiquiang Huang, Beijing Zoo, Shan Sun, Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, Victor A. David, Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, Stephen J. O'Brien, Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, Kathy Traylor-Holzer, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Ulysses S. Seal, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, David E. Wildt, National Zoological Park
- Edited by David E. Wildt, Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington DC, Anju Zhang, Hemin Zhang, Wildlife Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas, Donald L. Janssen, Zoological Society of San Diego, Susie Ellis
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- Book:
- Giant Pandas
- Published online:
- 09 August 2009
- Print publication:
- 27 July 2006, pp 495-519
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- Chapter
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Summary
INTRODUCTION
The foundation of any managed breeding programme for animals living in captivity is a studbook. This is the chronological listing of animals in the historical captive population detailing birth and death dates, gender, parentage, locations, transfers and local identification numbers (Glatston, 1986). Analyses of these data provide critical information on past trends in population size, age-specific reproductive and survival rates, age structure, numbers of founders, degree of inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity and other measures useful for evaluating temporal changes in a captive population. This information then becomes the basis for making management recommendations to enhance the demographic and genetic security of the captive population (Ballou & Foose, 1996). Demographic security is needed to ensure that an adequate number of breeding-aged animals are available to reproduce at the rates needed to grow or maintain the population at its desired size. Genetic diversity is required for the population to remain healthy and to adapt to changing environments (i.e. experience natural selection).
The 2001 International Studbook for the Giant Panda contains detailed life history information on 542 giant pandas that have lived in zoos around the world (Xie & Gipps, 2001). The first entry, giant panda Studbook (SB) Number 1, is Su Lin, a wild-caught female who arrived at Brookfield Zoo on 2 February 1937 (see Chapter 1). A quick scan of the studbook leaves one with the impression that the captive population's dynamics are dominated by entry and subsequent death of wild-caught animals without sustainable reproduction.