American Bison Restoration as a Model for the Propagation of African Wildlife Populations

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American Bison Restoration as a Model for the
Propagation of African Wildlife Populations 

• James Derr
• College of Veterinary Medicine
• Texas AM University

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An Overview of Todays Seminar

• A short discussion of our 10 years of genetics
  research with American bison.
• Objectives, results and important findings
• Current and future research with American bison
• Using these bison studies as a model for the
  conservation African wildlife species
• Systematic collection of DNA and
  health/location/carcass trait information from
  hunter killed animals in Africa
• Developing high resolution genetic technologies,
  using the bison model and with knowledge from
  recent genome sequencing projects, for selected
  African wildlife species

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A Model for Conservation Genetics - American Bison
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The Bison Conservation Genetics Program at Texas
AM University

• Collaborators
• Dr. Todd Ward
• Dr. Robert Schnabel
• Dr. Natalie Halbert
• Dr. Chris Seabury
• Dr. Joe Templeton
• Dr. Don Davis
• Dr. Loren Skow
• Dr. Bhanu Chowdhary
• Dr. Jim Womack
• Dr. William Grant
• Dr. Ron Heibert
• Dr. Peter Gogan
• Dr. David Hunter
• Danny Sweptson
• Claire Kolenda
• Federal and private bison managers, owners and
  biologist

• Funding Agencies
• Texas AM University
• Texas Agriculture Experiment Station
• The Nature Conservancy
• US Department of the Interior
• - National Parks Service
• - US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Canadian Park Service
• National Science Foundation
• Texas Parks and Wildlife
• Turner Foundation
• Private bison owners

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Bison as a Conservation Model for Genetic Survival

• For many, conservation biology is often
  considered a crisis discipline because many of
  the species that are of interest are critically
  threatened in some way.
• Clearly, the recovery of North American bison is
  one of the best documented success stories in
  conservation biology.
• About 10 years ago we started a NSF funded
  study of bison conservation genetics. The
  objectives were to uncover why the bison recovery
  was so successful and to develop models for the
  conservation of other large mammals specifically
  large African wildlife species.

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Just to quickly review American Bison history

• Bison suffered a well documented population
  decline that between 1840 to 1905.
• Population numbers were reduced from millions to
  a few hundred animals distributed across North
  America.
• Although most of the blame for this tragedy falls
  on hunters , a number of other explanations are
  available.
• An analysis of the fossil record also suggest
  that bison may have gone through a number of
  historical bottlenecks.
• However, modern bison appear to be relatively
  free of the inbreeding depression and other
  fitness related problems usually associated with
  severe population bottlenecks. Why?

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The Bone(s) of Contention
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The Great RecoveryFoundation Plains Bison Herds
(1888 - 1905)

• James McKay / William Alloway Herd - Canada
• Walking Coyote (Pablo / Allard Herd) - Montana
• Frederick Dupree - South Dakota
• Charles (Buffalo) Jones - Kansas
• Charles Goodnight - Texas
• (Some of these herds were used to produce a few
  hybrids between bison and beef cattle to
  improve disease resistance and possible energy
  conversion in beef cattle.)
• (The hybridization experiments worked.
  improving beef cattle ideas did not.)
• In addition, a few wild animals (22 - 25)
  remained in Yellowstone National Park.

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Bison Populations 1888
1907
McKay-Alloway (70)
Walking Coyote-Pablo-Allard (35)
Dupree-Philip (9)
YNP (30)
Historic bison range 1600s 1700s
Bronx Zoo
Charles Buffalo Jones (57)
WMWR
Goodnight (13)
From Coder 1975, derived from Hornaday
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Success of the The Great Bison Recovery

• Plains bison numbered over 5000 by the middle
  1930s and they were considered by the American
  Bison Society as out of danger of extinction
• Current NA bison census 500,000 animals
• Most bison are in private herds
• In some cases they are artificially selected for
  size, growth rate, behavior, less hump, more
  rump, etc
• Most screened private herd have cattle
  introgression
• lt20,000 bison maintained by US Canadian
  governments
• Different goals than private herds
• Most likely an important source of non-hybridized
  bison that can be maintained for future
  generations

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Public Bison Populations Sampled for Genetic
Studies

• State Private Herds
• Antelope Island State Park, UT
• Henry Mountains, UT
• Custer State Park, SD
• Finney Game Refuge, KS
• Maxwell Game Refuge, KS
• Texas State Bison Herd, TX
• Santa Catalina Island, CA
• Nature Conservancy herds
• More than 100 private bison herds

• Federal Herds
• Wichita Mtns. NWR
• Ft. Niobrara NWR
• National Bison Range NWR
• Neal Smith NWR
• Sullys Hill National Preserve
• Badlands NP
• Theodore Roosevelt NP
• Wind Cave NP
• Grand Teton NP
• Yellowstone NP
• Wood Buffalo NP (Can.)
• Elk island NP (Can.)
• Mackenzie Sanctuary (Can.)

To date, archived over 15,000 bison DNA samples
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Deliverables from these genetic studies with
bison (gt20 scientific publications)

• Technology from the cattle genome sequencing and
  gene mapping efforts
• Compare levels of genetic diversity among
  populations
• inbreeding depression, hidden population
  subdivision, disease resistance genes
• Establish genetic relationships between
  populations
• Confirm population histories, identify unique
  lineages
• Use as platform to investigate management
  strategies
• Effect of culling, skewed sex ratios, small
  population sizes, herd reduction
• Determine parentage in small and large
  populations
• Multiple sire private herds, whole herd pedigree
  development
• Test for mitochondrial and nuclear bison-domestic
  cattle introgression bison herds.
• Most bison herds have evidence of domestic cattle
  hybridization

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Why is this level of technology needed to help
manage bison populations?

• Unlike other smaller wildlife species, we must
• Cull (selectively remove) animals from herds
• Manipulate sex ratios
• Deal with disease issues
• In some cases they are economically important
• This sounds a lot like many African plains game
  and big game wildlife species

Diane Hargraves
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Hybrids Happen
Some bison just look different?
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So, why have bison recovered, with no or few
apparent genetic consequences from this major
population crash, when most other species, faced
with this degree of insult, seem to suffer
through long-term problems and/or became extinct?

• There are multiple explanations
• Previous (historic) population declines and near
  extinction events have purged bison genomes of
  many deleterious alleles.
• Following the bottleneck on the late 1800s,
  surviving bison were found in isolated
  populations that encompassed a high frequency of
  the overall (pre-bottleneck) genetic variation.
• Bison that survived the bottleneck retained
  genetic adaptability at important genes that
  influence fitness (the luck hypothesis).
• Surviving bison population encountered an influx
  of new genetic variation at the apex of this
  bottleneck (hybridization with domestic cattle).

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These studies of American Bison are the most
comprehensive genetics investigations of any
wildlife species

• Now is the time to expand the use of genomics
  technologies African big game wildlife species

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Opportunities for using genetic technologies to
insure healthy and robust African wildlife
populations that thrive and provide sustain
trophy hunting into the future

• I am proposing two overall objectives
• It is absolutely imperative to develop a
  systematic plan for collecting information from
  as many hunter killed wildlife species as
  possible. This should include high quality DNA
  samples, GPS location, disease / parasite status,
  age, sex, body conformation, etc. These effort
  should be internationally coordinated.
• Based on the tremendous opportunities through the
  genome sequencing projects of economically
  important and/or domesticated animals such as
  cattle, house cats, horse and dogs, now is the
  time to develop novel and powerful genetic
  technologies for the conservation of related
  wildlife species.

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Information and biological material from hunter
killed big game species

• Organized in country through safari outfitters,
  professional hunters, conservation organizations
  and governmental wildlife agencies
• Information could include
• Specific details about that animal on a single
  necropsy / specimen data sheet
• Biological materials should include
• For DNA archiving
• Whole blood sample on a Whatman FTA card
• Hair follicle samples
• Also, for genetically important animals, sterile
  tissue samples placed in media as a secondary
  source of DNA and possibly future nuclear
  transplantation
• (as discussed yesterday by Dr. Paul Bartels from
  the National Zoological Gardens in South Africa)

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• NECROPSY - SPECIMEN DATA RECORD
• Return to________________________________________
  ________________________________
• Please complete all of the fields possible or
  applicable
• Species/common name ____________________ Sex
  ______ Age ______ Date/time ___________
• Country _______________ State/Providence
  _________________ Nearest city ________________
• Name of park/property ___________________________
  Specimen field number ______________
• GPS position ________________ Collector/Hunter
  name _________________________________
• Collector/hunter email address ____
  ___________________________________ Method
  _________
• Pharmaceutical and dose __________________________
  _______________ Digital photo(s) _____
• Professional hunter/outfitters name/contact
  information ___________________________________
• __________________________________________________
  ______________________________
• Samples Taken
• Blood FTA card ______ Other blood sampled
  ____________
• Tissue Hair sample _____

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Biological material collection whole blood on
FTA cards
FTA cards are a safe and fast media for saving
DNA samples from whole blood.
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FTA cards for whole blood
Must setup and allow to dry.
After they are dry they can be kept at room
temperature for decades and will still provide
excellent DNA.
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Archiving hair follicles for DNA
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However there are serious export/import issues
with any biological samples for scientific
analyses.

• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• US Fish Wildlife Service
• US Public Health Service
• US Food and Drug Administration
• US Customs Service
• Possibly local and state health departments
• Potentially international agencies and
  organizations
• Also possible legal considerations with
• The Lacey Act
• Endangered Species Act
• African Elephant Conservation Act
• Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act
• Almost certainly in country agencies/organizations
  

All of these agencies and regulations can be
dealt with but it is time consuming and in some
cases expensive.
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In the event that it is absolutely required to
import DNA samples, these permits can and will be
obtained.However, one solution could be to use
established collection facilities in Africa for
genetic samples.

• Develop molecular technologies based on genome
  sequencing projects from closely related domestic
  species here in the US (Texas AM University)
  using DNA samples from African species that are
  already here in private holdings or zoos.

• Transfer the application of this technology to
  existing laboratories in Africa such a such as
  those at the Faculty of Veterinary Science
  Onderstepoort, SA, the National Zoological
  Gardens or the Hans Hoheisen laboratories in
  Kruger National Park

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DNA collection and storage - Research - Analysis
Actionable results

• Developing these advanced genetic technologies
  through research in the US and then transferring
  the resulting knowledge, reagents, capabilities
  to outside laboratories could help simplify many
  of the legal issues with samples and in power
  education and research infrastructure in Africa.

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The Facilities at Kruger National Park Hans
Hoheisen offices, laboratories and holding pens
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The African Wildlife Genome based research at
Texas AM University

• My laboratory is includes modern molecular
  biology and DNA sequencing and genotyping core
  facility making it completely equipped to
  develop genomic technologies for any other
  wildlife species.

• Initial Studies. Concentrating on two or three
  important African species, lions (Panthera leo),
  buffaloes (Syncerus caffe), and possibly white
  (Ceretotherium simum) and black rhinos (Diceros
  bivornis) we propose to develop the primary
  resources and methodology to allow for modern
  molecular genetic investigation for these and
  other related species.

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Deliverables from these initial studies

• These genomic technologies will allow for much of
  the same types of investigations as reported
  earlier with American bison.
• High resolution microsatellite markers, single
  nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) based on
  microarray technologies and mitochondrial DNA
  sequencing and haplotyping.
• Gene mapping studies for genetic traits of
  interest (body size, disease resistance,
  behavior, etc.)
• Population genetic parameters (inbreeding,
  genetic diversity, geographic differences, etc).
• Forensics technologies for species identification
  and DNA fingerprinting for individual animals.
• Genetic integrity studies and the identification
  of hybridization between species or subspecies.
• Identification of important individual animals
  for future nuclear transfer efforts in the event
  it is necessary to recover lost genetic diversity
  using cloning technologies.
• Help reestablish wildlife populations in regions
  where game have been completely exterminated
  (Wildlife as an Economic Engine).

Ambitious?
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Dream no little dreams for they have no magic to
move mens souls

• Dr. Norman Borlaug
• Winner of the 1970 Nobel Prize for Peace and
  fellow Texas AM Professor

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Funding for these efforts

• Dallas Safari Club has provide initial funding to
  help get this effort started
• The SCI foundation has asked for a full proposal
  in March
• Looking to local chapters help inform their
  members and for support
• Other wildlife conservation associations
• US and international funding agencies

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Acknowledgements

• College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas AM
  University
• Dallas Safari Club
• Dr. J. Lane Easter, Mr. Nigel Theisen, Mr. John
  Lochow and Mr. Gray Thornton
• The Safari Club International and the Safari Club
  International Foundation for the opportunity to
  give this presentation and for considering
  proposals to conduct this work.

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Contact information

• James Derr, Professor
• College of Veterinary Medicine
• Texas AM University
• College Station, TX 77845
• jderr_at_cvm.tamu.edu
• This complete PowerPoint presentation is
  available at my faculty website
  http//www.cvm.tamu.edu/derr/