Stewart Island k?k?p?'s genetic health surprisingly good despite inbreeding - a podcast by RNZ

from 2021-09-09T08:56

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After 10,000 years of inbreeding, Rakiura/Stewart Island k?k?p? have been found to be in surprisingly good genetic health.
A major international study reveals the k?k?p? have lost harmful mutations due to inbreeding.
This is good news for them and for other endangered species, suggesting it is possible for small populations to survive even if isolated for hundreds of generations.
University of Otago Professor Bruce Robertson has been studying k?k?p? genes for 25 years.
He spoke to Corin Dann
 

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