Grant Award View - GA154772-V1

Maintaining genetic diversity in insurance populations is paramount for the population’s ability to adapt to new challenges and for successful release back into the wild, or through wild-to-wild translocations. Together with the Zoo and Aquarium Association and Threatened Species Initiative we will use the latest genome sequencing technologies to assess genetic diversity, inbreeding and relatedness amongst individuals within captive breeding programs, or wild populations where only one wild population exists. We will provide breeding and/or translocation recommendations for these conservation (captive breeding and/or translocation) programs for 9 native Australian species severely impacted by the 2019/2020 bushfire season and 3 additional species of frogs - Bawbaw Frog (Philoria frosti), Armoured Mist Frog (Litoria lorica) and Spotted Tree Frog (Ranoidea spenceri). This information will ensure that breeding and/or translocation recommendations account for relatedness and inbreeding within the population to maximise genetic diversity. The outcomes of this project will directly inform the captive and/or translocation management of each species and contribute to long-term knowledge for the species’ persistence.