DFG funding awarded to research on genetic ancestry of EAZA lions

Ex-situ conservation in zoos, which actively preserves species and subspecies facing severe population declines, is becoming increasingly important in the face of extinction and ongoing habitat loss. To improve the effectiveness of ex-situ conservation actions, resources can be applied more strategically to increase their conservation success.

Addressing this need, the PhD project by Vito Lawrenz, supervised by Prof. Frantz and now funded by DFG, applies cutting-edge methods combining genomic analyses with health and fertility assessments to develop a comprehensive understanding of the genetic ancestry, diversity, inbreeding risks, health, and fertility of zoo lions in Europe.

As part of the project, whole-genome sequencing of lions held in institutions of the European Association for Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) is being carried out to clarify their ancestry and identify the remaining African Northern lions. This work aims to assess their potential as an insurance population for the endangered free-ranging African Northern lions in West and Central Africa.

The genomic data also allow the assessment of overall genomic health, including levels of inbreeding, genetic diversity, and mutational load. In addition, health and fertility evaluations of genetically confirmed North African lions are conducted, including reproductive assessments and semen analyses with subsequent cryopreservation.

Together, this data will help improve the understanding of the relationships between reproductive success, clinical conditions, and inbreeding. By integrating genomic and clinical data, the project will provide genome- and fertility-informed breeding recommendations to guide the efforts of the European Association for Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) in establishing a sustainable breeding program for the endangered African Northern lion and supporting future conservation efforts.