Sex-specific actuarial and reproductive senescence in zoo-housed tiger (panthera tigris): the importance of sub-species for conservation

Morgane Tidière*, Peter Müller, Alexander Sliwa, Aurélie Siberchicot, Guillaume Douay

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to conference without publisher/journalPosterResearch

Abstract

Biodiversity rate loss is rapid, continuous, and mostly due to anthropogenic activities [1]. To slow down this decline, accurate estimation of demographic parameters of threatened species is critical, but hard to obtain in the wild for many species. With this aim, zoo institutions play an important role, giving access to data on zoo-housed animals to researchers working on species’ life-history traits and intrinsic factors influencing the fitness of both sexes, such as age. While tigers (Panthera tigris) are particularly threatened in their natural environment [2,3], few demographic parameters have yet been determined because of their solitary and elusive nature [4] as well as low-density populations [3]. Using information of more than 9,200 individuals (from 1938 to 2018) recorded in the International Studbook of Tiger [5], we aimed to determine sub-species and sex-specific variability of survival and reproductive parameters with age. No significant sex-difference in actuarial senescence (i.e. decline of survival probabilities with age) was observed but males tended to have a higher juvenile mortality and a faster senescence than females. Reproductive senescence (i.e. decline of reproductive parameters with age) was more pronounced in females than males. Moreover, we observed sub-species-specific variation in mortality and reproductive parameters, pointing out the necessity to consider them independently for conservation goals. Our study provides meaningful findings to improve husbandry of zoo-housed tigers, emphasising the importance of adult breeding females of 7-9 years-old to increase zoo-housed population size, but also providing accurate demographic estimates, crucial to set up effective conservation plans.
Original languageEnglish
Publication date17. Sept 2020
Publication statusPublished - 17. Sept 2020
EventAZA annual virtual conference 2020 - Online
Duration: 14. Sept 202018. Sept 2020

Conference

ConferenceAZA annual virtual conference 2020
LocationOnline
Period14/09/202018/09/2020

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