{"id":88239,"date":"2025-08-22T19:36:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T19:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/88239\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T19:36:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T19:36:09","slug":"zoo-populations-hold-key-to-saving-pacific-pocket-mouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/88239\/","title":{"rendered":"Zoo populations hold key to saving Pacific pocket mouse"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Endangered<\/p>\n

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image:\u00a0<\/p>\n

An endangered Pacific pocket mouse, native to Southern California,\u00a0stands on natural substrate<\/p>\n

view more\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Credit: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance<\/p>\n

CONTACT:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance\u00a0
Public Relations\u00a0
619-685-3291\u00a0
publicrelations@sdzwa.org\u00a0
sdzwa.org\u00a0<\/p>\n

PHOTOS AND VIDEO:\u00a0https:\/\/sandiegozoo.box.com\/s\/mu2h8bea811yx58oq11fs4q8l3binow8<\/a><\/p>\n

SAN DIEGO (Aug. 21, 2025)\u00a0\u2013 Endangered Pacific pocket mice, native to Southern California, were once thought to be extinct until a tiny remnant population was rediscovered in the mid-1990s. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance established a conservation breeding and reintroduction program to save the species from extinction. Though there has been significant success with breeding and reintroduction, the species is still at risk of losing genetic diversity, which reduces its survival and reproduction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a new study published in the prestigious scientific journal\u00a0Science\u00a0on August 21, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance researchers demonstrate how genetic rescue can be used as an effective strategy for the conservation of this species. This strategy includes introducing Pacific pocket mice from genetically distinct populations for breeding purposes to boost genetic diversity and, in turn, the health of the population.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The research findings provide a contrast to commonly held perceptions about the risks of outbreeding depression that currently limit the use of genetic rescue in conservation programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen species are restricted to small, isolated populations, genetic erosion can lead to poor health. Our study examined the trade-offs between genetic erosion and outbreeding depression in Pacific pocket mice, and we find that the benefits of genetic rescue outweigh the risks of keeping these populations in isolation,\u201d said lead author, Aryn Wilder,\u00a0San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance\u00a0Conservation Genetics researcher.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The researchers suggest shifting the focus from maintaining the genetic uniqueness of populations to maximizing the genetic health of the species. They also highlight the important role that zoos and managed care facilities play in preventing species extinction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cErosion in diversity seen in wild populations was reversed when we mixed mice from different populations,\u201d said Wilder. \u201cThe genetically healthier population had higher survival and reproductive success. Although different numbers of chromosomes carried by the mice from different populations increase the risk of incompatibilities in the mixed breeding program, the non-mixed mice have even lower fitness, indicating a greater risk of extinction if the populations remain isolated.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance\u00a0researchers have been studying the factors, including genomic variation, that maximize the health of populations and ensure the successful production of the fittest offspring for release into the wild.\u00a0San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance\u00a0brought in 49 mice from the wild and produced more than 700 mice at its facility, including 94 births last year.\u00a0In 2024,\u00a0San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance\u00a0and partners also began releasing Pacific pocket mice to a second site, resulting in 100 pups born in the wild at that site.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With two-thirds of the Earth\u2019s species undergoing population decline, the implications of this research extend beyond Pacific pocket mice and demonstrate the value of genetic rescue for species facing extinction. It also highlights how zoos can serve a vital role in conservation of at-risk species.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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About San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, a nonprofit conservation leader, inspires passion for nature and collaboration for a healthier world. The Alliance supports innovative conservation science through global partnerships and groundbreaking efforts at the world-famous San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, both leading zoological institutions and accredited botanical gardens. Through wildlife care expertise, cutting-edge science and continued collaboration, more than 44 endangered species have been reintroduced to native habitats. The Alliance reaches over 1 billion people annually through its two conservation parks and media channels in 170 countries, including San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers television, available in children\u2019s hospitals across 14 countries. Wildlife Allies\u2014members, donors and guests\u2014make success possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Link includes:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\tB-roll and photos of Pacific pocket mice<\/p>\n

Subject of Research<\/p>\n

Animals<\/p>\n

Article Title<\/p>\n

Fitness benefits of genetic rescue despite chromosomal differences in an endangered pocket mouse<\/p>\n

Article Publication Date<\/p>\n

21-Aug-2025<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"image:\u00a0 An endangered Pacific pocket mouse, native to Southern California,\u00a0stands on natural substrate view more\u00a0 Credit: San Diego…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":88240,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[64,63,336,128],"class_list":["post-88239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-genetics","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-genetics","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88239\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}