A new report, just published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, finds that inbreeding within the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whale population is straining the population. FOX13
The concern for the iconic orcas is not new, though the latest scientific findings add yet another concerning layer for those hoping to see the Southern Residents avoid extinction.
Each new birth within the Southern Resident killer whale population is met with fanfare, and for good reason. The famed Southern Residents have been listed as an endangered species in both the U.S. and Canada. Their numbers were nearing 100 a few decades ago – lately the total population has hovered in the mid-70s.
In the group’s conclusion, they write: "Our results suggest that the Southern Resident killer whale population growth rate would be substantially higher if its average level of inbreeding was similar to other North Pacific killer whale populations." According to the authors, a female killer whale takes about 20 years to reach peak fertility – inbred individuals are less likely to reach that age, meaning the population has less of a chance to expand.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Netflix's Resident Evil Would Have Succeeded With Its Original PlanNetflix's Resident Evil was a divisive adaptation of the classic franchise, which really should have tied into the Milla Jovovich movies.
Lire la suite »
2 men killed by resident after breaking into Garland apartment, police sayJust before 2:30 a.m., police were called to the Woodlands at the Preserve complex in the 4300 block of North Garland Avenue after multiple people reported...
Lire la suite »
Spatial mapping of mitochondrial networks and bioenergetics in lung cancer - NatureA study describing an approach that combines imaging and profiling techniques to structurally and functionally analyse lung cancer in vivo, revealing heterogeneous mitochondrial networks and an association between bioenergetic phenotypes and mitochondrial organization and function.
Lire la suite »
Venom sacs and spring-loaded caps: Best beware nature's most sophisticated stingersAnimals sting for two pretty straightforward reasons: to defend themselves and to catch prey. How they deliver them, though, can be pretty elaborate.
Lire la suite »
Bright and stable perovskite light-emitting diodes in the near-infrared range - NaturePerovskite LEDs with exceptional performance at high brightness are demonstrated achieving an operational half-lifetime of 32 hours, an important step towards commercialization opening up new opportunities beyond conventional LED technologies, such as perovskite electrically pumped lasers.
Lire la suite »