Genetic assessment of captive elephant (Elephas maximus) populations in Thailand

Chatchote Thitaram; Chaleamchart Somgird; Sittidet Mahasawangkul; Taweepoke Angkavanich; Ronnachit Roongsri; Nikorn Thongtip; Ben Colenbrander; Frank G. van Steenbeek; Johannes A. Lenstra

doi:10.1007/s10592-009-0018-7

Genetic assessment of captive elephant (Elephas maximus) populations in Thailand

Chatchote Thitaram^*, Chaleamchart Somgird, Sittidet Mahasawangkul, Taweepoke Angkavanich, Ronnachit Roongsri, Nikorn Thongtip, Ben Colenbrander, Frank G. van Steenbeek, Johannes A. Lenstra

^*Corresponding author for this work

Veterinary Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The genetic diversity and population structure of 136 captive Thai elephants (Elephas maximus) with known region of origin were investigated by analysis of 14 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci. We did not detect significant indications of inbreeding and only a low differentiation of elephants from different regions. This is probably explained by the combined effects of isolation by distance and exchange between different regions or between captive and wild elephant populations. Estimates of effective population sizes were in the range of 90-240 individuals, which emphasizes the necessity to guard against inbreeding as caused by the current use of a restricted number of breeding bulls. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	325-330
Number of pages	6
Journal	Conservation Genetics
Volume	11
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-009-0018-7
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2010

Keywords

Asian elephant
Genetic diversity
Microsatellite
Thailand

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abstract = "The genetic diversity and population structure of 136 captive Thai elephants (Elephas maximus) with known region of origin were investigated by analysis of 14 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci. We did not detect significant indications of inbreeding and only a low differentiation of elephants from different regions. This is probably explained by the combined effects of isolation by distance and exchange between different regions or between captive and wild elephant populations. Estimates of effective population sizes were in the range of 90-240 individuals, which emphasizes the necessity to guard against inbreeding as caused by the current use of a restricted number of breeding bulls. {\textcopyright} Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.",

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AU - Thitaram, Chatchote

AU - Somgird, Chaleamchart

AU - Mahasawangkul, Sittidet

AU - Angkavanich, Taweepoke

AU - Roongsri, Ronnachit

AU - Thongtip, Nikorn

AU - Colenbrander, Ben

AU - van Steenbeek, Frank G.

AU - Lenstra, Johannes A.

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Genetic assessment of captive elephant (Elephas maximus) populations in Thailand

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