Effect of inbreeding on different fitness traits of captive tiger population

Abstract

Objective: A study was undertaken on the captive tiger population of Nandankanan Zoological Park, Odisha to identify the deleterious effect of inbreeding on different litter size, mortality, survivability and death due to different disease condition and other fitness traits. Methodology: The path of pedigree and inbreeding coefficient for 342 tigers were calculated from the available information of tiger national studbook. The correlation values between inbreeding coefficient and different fitness traits were estimated by using SAS software. Results: The litter size of tiger, longevity and inbreeding coefficient were found to be significantly (p<0.05) and positively correlated. However, age at death, survivability of cubs upto weaning and total numbers of cubs born throughout lifetime were significantly (p<0.05) and negatively correlated with inbreeding coefficient. The death due to a disease conditions like stress, accidental injury, nephritis and senility were significantly (p<0.05) associated with inbreeding of a tiger. The inbreeding had also an associationship with white colour of tigers. Conclusion: So, temptation to produce white tiger should be minimise in order to reduce inbreeding depression and proper care and management must have practiced for a longevity life of a inbred animal in captive condition as they will face extinction in wild environment.