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Principal Investigator (PI): Kevin Willis, Biological Programs
Director, Minnesota Zoo
This project has two objectives: 1) To evaluate levels of genetic
relatedness among green aracaris in the North American captive
population; and 2) To evaluate the utility of DNA "fingerprint"
data in attempting to maximize gene diversity in captive populations.
The green aracari is the second most numerous Ramphastid held
in captivity, and yet the long-term viability of this population
is uncertain primarily because of a lack of pedigree information.
This is a situation in which both wild-caught and captive born
birds have passed through a single facility, and thus the current
method of dealing with unknowns (Willis, 1993)* is not necessarily
applicable. If all birds of unknown ancestry are excluded from
analyses, almost one half of the current population is eliminated.
Long-term viability of this population may very well hinge on
resolution of genetic relationships.
DNA "fingerprint" technology has been touted as the
solution to resolving genetic relationships among animals; however,
there has not been an evaluation of the costs and benefits of
using the data relative to population management goals. Even if
estimates of relatedness among individuals are unbiased, the costs
of over- and underestimating relatedness are not equal (Willis,
1993) and so using the data can decrease managed gene diversity.
In this study data from birds of known relatedness will be used
to develop a standard that will then be applied to birds of unknown
relatedness. From this a cost-benefit analysis can be used to
determine the best way to integrate this information into a management
scheme.
*Willis, K. 1993. Use of animals of unknown ancestries in scientifically
managed breeding programs. Zoo Biology, 12:161-172.
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