Asiatic wild ass. Photo credit Lilith Zecherle

Asiatic wild ass

Project Overview

Project name: Genetic structure and conservation genetics of mammalian societies

The relatedness structure of animal populations is thought to be a critically important factor underlying the evolution of mating systems and social behaviours. We use molecular ecological tools to reveal genetic structure in natural populations.

We are also engaged in a number of conservation projects using genomic and molecular ecological techniques to investigate population structure, reconstruct demographic history, and dissect genetic processes associated with population management for conservation. For example, we are investigating the conservation genomics of a reintroduced population of Asiatic wild ass, researching population bottlenecks of pinniped species that were subject to high levels of hunting in recent history.