Genetic diversity and population structure of the long-tailed goral, <i>Naemorhedus caudatus</i>, in South Korea

Abstract

The long-tailed goral, Naemorhedus caudatus, is an internationally endangered species. This species is distributed throughout Northeastern Asia including Northeastern China, the Russian Far East and the Korean peninsula. The population size of long-tailed gorals is currently decreasing in South Korea, and thus effective conservation of the animal is urgently needed. Although the evolution and phylogeny of this animal have been studied, population genetic studies are needed to design effective conservation and management strategies. To evaluate the present status of genetic diversity and genetic structure of long-tailed gorals in South Korea, we investigated genetic variability among 68 goral individuals from different regions, including 11 captive zoo animals, at 12 microsatellite loci. The level of genetic diversity was moderate in wild goral populations, but lower in the captive group. The goral population from the lower northeast region of South Korea was distinct from the upper northeast population, probably due to the natural climatic and geographic conditions. The genetic characteristics of the captive group were more similar to those of the upper northeast population than the lower northeast, confirming that the zoo animals originated in the Seorak Mountain range. Direct translocations between the upper and lower northeast populations are not currently recommended considering the natural population structure and the moderate levels of genetic diversity in the two populations. This study highlights the importance of genetic information in designing effective conservation strategies and translocations of endangered animals, including the Korean goral.

Predictive genetic plan for a captive population of the Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus) and prescriptive action for ex situ and in situ conservation management in Thailand

“…risk of extinction, such as Chinese gorals in Korea [41]. Programs of reintroduction involving ex situ and in situ management of captive-bred individuals are necessary for recovery of Chinese goral populations in the wild, but policy decisions are required at the national level [42].…”

Genetic integrity and individual identification-based population size estimate of the endangered long-tailed goral,Naemorhedus caudatusfrom Seoraksan National Park in South Korea, based on a non-invasive genetic approach

“…This dietary information provides a practical support for the recovery of endangered populations (Deagle et al 2009). Furthermore, it has been used for phylogeographic (Mukherjee et al 2010), and population and landscape genetic (Sharma et al 2011;Choi et al 2015) studies of wild animals (Walker 2005). Hence, non-invasive genetic approach to species that are difficult or sometimes impossible to be monitored in the wild is essential for conservation efforts for endangered populations.…”

Morphological keys for identifying long-tailed gorals (Naemorhedus caudatus) and population composition in the Osaek Region of South Korea

“…The population size of long-tailed goral has only ever been estimated by visual inspection in Russia (Myslenkov and Voloshina 1989) and by morphometric , Kim et al 2018 or genetic analysis (Choi et al 2015, Jang et al 2020 of faecal samples in South Korea. These methods need time-consuming efforts for the collection and analyses of faecal samples (Kim et al 2018, Jang et al 2020.…”