Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
School of Agricultural and Food Sciences
Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
The aim of the study was to test the applicability of non-invasive scatology in population genetic studies of cheetah in South Africa. To validate the approach, DNA was extracted from ex situ cheetah faeces and the matching blood sample of each animal. Species-specific mitochondrial DNA control region amplification confirmed the cheetah origin of extracted faecal DNA. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) success rates of the species-specific primer set and 12 cat microsatellite markers were examined. The quality of DNA was higher in fresh samples than in samples that were left to age for four days and two weeks respectively. Mitochondrial DNA amplification success was high. All fresh faecal samples had a positive result (100%). Four-day-old samples were 83% positive and two-week-old samples were 94% positive. Amplification success of the 12 microsatellites was 59% for fresh faecal samples, 20% for four-day-old samples and 2.4% for two-week-old samples. Genotyping errors were found when using DNA from the faecal samples, with rates of 16% and 7% for allelic dropout and false alleles respectively. Repeated extractions and four to five microsatellite amplifications are recommended per sample for accurate genotyping. For a preliminary field test, faecal samples were obtained from the Thabazimbi area (Limpopo, South Africa), where cheetah roam freely on private land. Control region PCR successfully identified cheetah faeces and microsatellite alleles were in the same range as those from the ex situ study. In addition to the methods currently employed in cheetah conservation in South Africa, such as camera trapping and telemetry, scatology can provide a better understanding of the spatial distribution and levels and structure of genetic variation among wild cheetah
Contact person: Dr E van Marle-Köster.
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