New study on lion genetics reveals the biological issues of habitat fragmentation

A recent study out of Texas A&M University Texas College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences has found that the past century of lion habitat fragmentation has led to a significant decrease in the species genetic diversity. The study compared the DNA of lions today to samples collected from lions living 100 years ago. Habitat fragmentation, for those unaware, is the what happens when wildlife populations are separated because of human developments. An oversimplified example would be the construction of an un-crossable highway through a wildlife sanctuary.

Lions once had unrestricted access to most of Sub-Saharan Africa, but after decades of human infrastructure development they have been confined to smaller local lion populations. Similar fragmentation has occurred with many big cats, including some species of tigers. A major consequence of habitat fragmentation, which was highlighted in this study, is a decrease in genetic diversity. This can result in reduced resilience to diseases and complications with inbreedings. Cheetahs are a primary example of a cat species who have suffered from these types of issues.

Full story by Aubrey Bloom at Texas A&M