Genetic Future for Florida Panthers

摘要

W. E. JOHNSON ETAL ("GENETIC RESTORATION OF THE FLORIDA panther," Reports, 24 September, p. 1641) document genetic changes in the Florida panther population after the 1995 introduction of eight Texas puma females. This translocation has been a great success; the population size has increased more than threefold, and several detrimental traits have substantially decreased in frequency. However, there are compelling reasons to continue the close genetic management and monitoring of the population in the future. First, only five of the eight female Texas pumas had offspring. The distribution of offspring from these five females was unequal-one female contributed nearly half of the offspring-and the total ancestry from these five females was very high.