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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
REVIEW

A Tasmanian devil breeding program to support wild recovery*

C. E. Grueber https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8179-1822 A B , E. Peel A , B. Wright A , C. J. Hogg https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6328-398X A and K. Belov https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9762-5554 A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A The University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

B San Diego Zoo Global, PO Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112, USA.

C Corresponding author. Email: kathy.belov@sydney.edu.au

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 31(7) 1296-1304 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD18152
Submitted: 20 April 2018  Accepted: 1 October 2018   Published: 7 November 2018

Abstract

Tasmanian devils are threatened in the wild by devil facial tumour disease: a transmissible cancer with a high fatality rate. In response, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (STDP) established an ‘insurance population’ to enable the preservation of genetic diversity and natural behaviours of devils. This breeding program includes a range of institutions and facilities, from zoo-based intensive enclosures to larger, more natural environments, and a strategic approach has been required to capture and maintain genetic diversity, natural behaviours and to ensure reproductive success. Laboratory-based research, particularly genetics, in tandem with adaptive management has helped the STDP reach its goals, and has directly contributed to the conservation of the species in the wild. Here we review this work and show that the Tasmanian devil breeding program is a powerful example of how genetic research can be used to understand and improve reproductive success in a threatened species.

Additional keywords: adaptation to captivity, conservation, insurance population, microsatellites, pedigree, reproductive success, translocation.


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