Building family trees in the Critically Endangered Livingstone's fruit bat

• Building family trees in the Critically Endangered Livingstone's fruit bat

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About This Project
Livingstone's fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii) are one of the rarest bats in the world, with only 1260 left in the wild. A captive breeding program of 71 individuals exists as a safeguard against extinction.

Funding would enable the vital investigation of relatedness in captive bats, allowing for the prevention of inbreeding, the assessment of hereditary diseases, the comparison of wild and captive genetics and ensure the continued success of the captive breeding program.

Between 1992-1995, 17 bats were taken into captivity as a safeguard against extinction. There are now 71 bats at Jersey Zoo and Bristol Zoo Gardens but little is known about their relatedness. Pedigree analysis is essential for reducing inbreeding risks and for continuing the successful management of the captive breeding programs. This study will also allow comparison of captive and wild genetics and the investigation of hereditary disease, in order to assess the genetic health of the captive populations.