Genetic characterization of a wild Orinoco Crocodile population

What is it about?

The Orinoco Crocodile is a critically endangered species, with only a few populations remaining in the wild. This study presents the first genetic evaluation of the most important in-situ population within Colombia’s Orinoquía region and an approach to its demographic history. While this population represents a unique conservation opportunity, it also exposes a high risk of entering the extinction vortex due to an effective population well below the minimum values proposed for short-term subsistence. To mitigate this risk, we recommend prioritizing support for the egg and hatchling ranching program, which has successfully preserved much of the population's genetic diversity. Finally, we identified a historical bottleneck possibly influenced by arid periods affecting the region since the Pleistocene.

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Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Why is it important?

We evaluate the genetic status of a remaining wild population of the critically endangered Orinoco Crocodile. By doing that, we described their diversity status, including critical indexes such as effective population size, approximated its demographic history, and evaluated the success of a ranching initiative as a conservation action to strength.

Perspectives