Genetic Evidence of a Population Bottleneck and Inbreeding in the Endangered New Zealand Sea Lion,Phocarctos hookeri

Research on the endangered New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) reveals genetic evidence of a population bottleneck and increased inbreeding, likely due to historical sealing pressures. The study analyzed 1205 individuals across seven breeding seasons using 17 microsatellite loci, demonstrating moderate genetic diversity compared to other pinnipeds but also indicating nonrandom mating patterns. Pups that died during recent epizootic events showed higher allele sharing and parental relatedness, suggesting inbreeding's role in population vulnerability. These findings highlight the species' reduced evolutionary capacity, posing challenges for its long-term survival and recovery.

Osborne, A. J., Negro, S. S., Chilvers, B. L., Robertson, B. C., Kennedy, M. A., & Gemmell, N. J. (2016). Genetic Evidence of a Population Bottleneck and Inbreeding in the Endangered New Zealand Sea Lion,Phocarctos hookeri. Journal of Heredity, 107(5), 392–402. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esw015