The consequences of demographic reduction and genetic depletion in the endangered Florida panther

M E Roelke; J S Martenson; S J O'Brien

doi:10.1016/0960-9822(93)90197-v

The consequences of demographic reduction and genetic depletion in the endangered Florida panther

Curr Biol. 1993 Jun 1;3(6):340-50. doi: 10.1016/0960-9822(93)90197-v.

Authors

M E Roelke¹, J S Martenson, S J O'Brien

Affiliation

¹ Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, Wildlife Research Laboratory, Gainesville, Florida 32601, USA.

PMID: 15335727
DOI: 10.1016/0960-9822(93)90197-v

Abstract

The Florida panther has recently suffered severe range and demographic contraction, leaving a remarkably low level of genetic diversity. This exerts a severe fitness cost, manifested by spermatozoal defects, cryptorchidism, cardiac abnormalities and infectious diseases that threaten the survival of the subspecies.