Paternity was analysed in two domestic cat (Felis catus) populations di¡ering in habitat structure (rural versus urban) and density (234 cats km À2 versus 2091cats km À2 ). A total of 312 o¡spring, 76 mothers and 65 putative fathers were typed at nine microsatellite loci in the two populations. Our data showed a high rate of multiple paternity in the urban population (70^83% of litters with more than one father), whereas it was much lower in the rural population (0^22% of litters with more than one), as most males were able to monopolize the entire litter. However, males reproduced as soon as they reached sexual maturity (i.e. ten months of age) in the urban population, whereas most males delayed reproduction to age three years in the rural population.

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Given the problem of hybridization with domestic cats, there is a growing need to identify populations of the European wildcat Felis silvestris silvestris in order to protect the genetic integrity of this subspecies. In this paper, we use known locations of observations of wildcats or recovered carcasses to reassess the distribution of the wildcat in France and, in cases where carcasses were collected, we use both phenotypic and molecular genetic analyses to distinguish wildcats from hybrids with domestic cats. Spatially explicit multivariate analysis of wildcat' genotypes was then performed to define genetic units. Our study confirms the presence of wildcats in a large area of c. 155 000 km 2 , suggestive of a range of expansion, and divided into two clearly distinct and unconnected areas -the Pyrenees and the north-eastern part of France. However, European wildcat populations may be decreasing in the French Pyrenees, whereas the north-eastern part represents the main area (MA) of wildcat presence. This extension does not appear to be primarily due to hybrids, as both wildcats and hybrids were located throughout the MA. In addition, we found that genetic diversity of wildcats in the MA is remarkably high, suggesting that French populations are not threatened by a lack of genetic diversity. Furthermore, wildcats of the MA are structured into two genetically distinct populations that are contiguous and probably extend into Germany to form the largest area of wildcat presence in Europe and an area of major interest for their conservation. Our study calls for localized examination of the feasibility and usefulness of wildlife corridors to enhance connectivity between the different populations, thereby allowing sufficient levels of immigration and gene flow within the regional meta-population to ensure the long-term viability of these populations. Animal Conservation. Print ISSN 1367-9430 L. Say et al. Distribution and genetic structure in wildcat Animal Conservation 15 (2012) 18-27

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Previous studies have predicted that the availability over time of females in oestrus in£uences the variance of male reproductive success in a given year. When females are spatially aggregated, they represent a potentially defendable resource for each male when oestrus is asynchronous, and the most competitive males are expected to gain priority of access to receptive females. When females breed synchronously, a single male, even when highly competitive, is not able to prevent them from mating with other males. This hypothesis was tested in a large multimale^multifemale group of domestic cats, Felis catus, which was monitored for three years.The results support the prediction that the variance in male reproductive success was four times greater in years when females bred asynchronously, and dominant males sired the highest proportion of o¡spring. We conclude that the temporal availability of mates plays a role in the adoption of reproductive tactics in the domestic cat.

We investigate the genetic profile of putative European Wildcats in northeastern France, possessing the wildcat phenotype, but sampled in an area where they are sympatric with free-roaming domestic cats and, thus, are exposed to potential hybridisation. From a sample of 209 cats, the programme STRUCTURE clearly identified two distinct genetic clusters that corresponded to European Wildcats and domestic cats. The cats from these two clusters were clearly differentiated from each other (F ST = 0.16). However, the genotypes of some individual cats were split between the two clusters, indicative of genetic admixture. Our analysis demonstrates that a genetically distinct population of cats that possess the European Wildcat phenotype persists in north-eastern France, but that there is a low, yet real, risk of hybridisation with sympatric domestic cats. These European Wildcats warrant conservation efforts to protect their genetic integrity.

Populations of fallow deer, in general, have low genetic diversity. Nevertheless, we screened 39 microsatellite loci and identified 20 that were polymorphic and suitable to determine paternity of fallow deer. To date, paternity has been studied for 87, 110 and 152 fallow deer fawns born between 2000 and 2002. Our results confirm the existence of a strong polygynous mating system in our population and confirm that the number of copulations performed by males is globally a good estimator of their reproductive success: males which performed the largest proportion of matings fathered the largest proportion of fawns. Nevertheless, we report some differences between the two measurements of the males' reproductive success: measures of copulatory success underestimated the variance of the males' reproductive success. On average, males whose copulatory score exceeded their paternity had mated with a higher proportion of younger females. Young females may be more likely to lose the conceptus, or their offspring may suffer high postnatal mortality.