Genetic Analysis of the Brown Bear Sub-Population in the Pindos Mountain, Central Greece: Insights into Population Status and Conservation.

ABSTRACT: Habitat fragmentation poses a significant threat to the existence and reproduction of large carnivores, such as brown bears, as it affects the genetic connectivity of populations and, consequently, their long-term viability. Understanding the genetic makeup and dispersal patterns in areas where brown bears live is crucial for developing effective conservation plans and promoting human-brown bear coexistence. In this study, 214 hair samples were collected non-invasively from brown bears and were genetically analyzed using fifteen specific microsatellite loci to shed light on the genetic status and demography of a sub-population residing in Central Greece (Trikala-Meteora area). The broader Central and South Pindos regions have not been studied for over a decade; however, high levels of gene

SUBMITTER: Tsalazidou-Founta TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11640096 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature