Mountain gorillas survive: inbreeding

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The dwindling population of mountain gorillas has led to serious inbreeding problems that worry many scientists. However, a new genetic study suggests that this may be their way of survival. The study sequenced the whole genome of mountain gorillas for the first time, highlighting the effects of population reduction on them.

In 1981, due to habitat loss and hunting effects, the number of gorillas living on the Virunga volcanic region fell to 253. Conservationists have been working since then to help restore the gorilla population, increasing the population to about 480. However, mountain gorillas are not out of their way. Scientists worry that severe inbreeding between this small group of mountain gorillas will lead to a decrease in genetic diversity, threatening their survival.

But now, scientists have found that many of the harmful genotypes have actually been eliminated in the process of inbreeding, and that the genetics of mountain gorillas are adapting to the breeding patterns of this small group. Dr Aylwyn Scally, from the University of Cambridge's Department of Genetics, said: "This latest discovery of the genetic diversity and population history of mountain gorillas provides us with valuable information about how great apes and humans genetically adapt to small populations. With these data, we observed the process by which the genome removes severely mutated genes. "Data analysis showed that the genetic diversity of mountain gorillas and western lowland gorillas is 2-3 times lower than that of larger populations in western Central Africa. And these gorillas have been breeding in small groups for thousands of years.

Scientists have long feared that severe inbreeding of already critically endangered species could push them further to the brink of extinction. Lower levels of genetic diversity make it harder for these species to survive environmental changes and diseases, including some viruses that can spread between humans and animals. However, this does not seem to be the case. For mountain gorillas, inbreeding is somehow beneficial to them. For example, compared to western lowland gorillas, mountain gorillas have fewer mutations in their genomes that prevent genes from functioning normally and can cause serious health problems.

Dr. Yeli Xue, lead author of the study paper, concluded: "There are concerns that a sharp decline in populations in the 1980s could have a disastrous effect on mountain gorillas, but our genetic analysis shows that these gorillas have been breeding through small populations for thousands of years. Their inbreeding is comparable to that of the ancestor Neanderthals that led to their extinction, suggesting that mountain gorillas may be more resilient and have absolutely reason to continue to reproduce years later. ”