Genomic Assessment of Reintroduced African Wild Dogs Informs Conservation Translocations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Few reintroduction and translocation programs incorporate genomic assessments into management planning, despite ongoing debate over how founder individuals should be selected. Some argue they should be genetically similar to the original population, whereas others counter‐argue that their evolutionary fitness should be valued regardless of their genetic identity. Here, we assess the genomic composition of reintroduced African wild dog ( Lycaon pictus ) populations in private reserves in South Africa, comparing them with a free‐roaming population in northern South Africa and southern Zimbabwe, and with Kruger National Park. Using genotyping‐by‐sequencing, mitochondrial Control Region sequences, and variation at the DLA‐DRB1 Class II locus of the major histocompatibility complex, we quantified genetic diversity, population structure, gene flow, and adaptive variation. We also developed conservation translocation guidelines to inform future reintroduction efforts that are taking place across southern Africa. We show that reintroduced and free‐roaming wild dogs form a single, broadly connected population, despite evidence of genetic drift, and retain high levels of adaptive genetic variation across their range compared to neutral markers. In our translocation guidelines, we recommend that wildlife managers prioritize maintaining overall genetic diversity rather than strictly preserving original genetic composition, thereby enhancing adaptive potential in a rapidly changing environment.