Conservation Genetics of Endangered Mammalian Species: Implications for Wildlife Management

Abstract

Conservation genetics has become an essential discipline in wildlife biology, providing critical insights into the preservation of endangered mammalian species. Rapid habitat fragmentation, population decline, climate change, and anthropogenic pressures have led to reduced genetic diversity in many mammal populations. Loss of genetic variation increases the risk of inbreeding depression, reduced adaptive potential, and long-term extinction. the role of conservation genetics in assessing genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow among endangered mammalian species, with emphasis on its practical implications for wildlife management. Molecular tools such as mitochondrial DNA sequencing, microsatellite markers, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis are widely used to evaluate genetic health and evolutionary relationships. These techniques help identify distinct population segments, detect bottlenecks, and estimate effective population size. Genetic data further assist in determining connectivity between fragmented habitats and in designing corridors to promote gene flow.