Phylogeographical analysis shows the need to protect the wild yaks' last refuge in Nepal.

Autor: Kusi N; Resources Himalaya Foundation Lalitpur Nepal., Manandhar P; Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal Kathmandu Nepal., Senn H; WildGenes Laboratory Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh UK., Joshi J; Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal Kathmandu Nepal., Ghazali M; WildGenes Laboratory Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Edinburgh UK., Hengaju KD; IUCN Nepal Lalitpur Nepal., Suwal SP; Nature Conservation and Study Centre Kathmandu Nepal., Lama TL; Snow Leopard Journeys Kathmandu Nepal., Poudyal LP; Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Kathmandu Nepal., Thapa M; Department of Forests and Soil Conservation Kathmandu Nepal., Werhahn G; Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford Tubney UK.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Ecology and evolution [Ecol Evol] 2021 May 14; Vol. 11 (12), pp. 8310-8318. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 May 14 (Print Publication: 2021).
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7660
Abstrakt: The wild yak Bos mutus was believed to be regionally extinct in Nepal for decades until our team documented two individuals from Upper Humla, north-western Nepal, in 2014. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) seeks further evidence for the conclusive confirmation of that sighting. We conducted line transects and opportunistic sign surveys in the potential wild yak habitats of Humla, Dolpa, and Mustang districts between 2015 and 2017 and collected genetic samples (present and historic) of wild and domestic yaks Bos grunniens . We also sighted another wild yak in Upper Humla in 2015. Phylogenetic and haplotype network analyses based on mitochondrial D-loop sequences (~450 bp) revealed that wild yaks in Humla share the haplotype with wild yaks from the north-western region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China. While hybridization with domestic yaks is a major long-term threat, illegal hunting for meat and trophy put the very small populations of wild yaks in Nepal at risk. Our study indicates that the unprotected habitat of Upper Humla is the last refuge for wild yaks in Nepal. We recommend wild yak conservation efforts in the country to focus on Upper Humla by (i) assigning a formal status of protected area to the region, (ii) raising awareness in the local communities for wild yak conservation, and (iii) providing support for adaptation of herding practice and pastureland use to ensure the viability of the population.
Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest.
(© 2021 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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