Conservation Value of Non-Native Banteng in Northern Australia

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00428.x Byline: COREY J. A. BRADSHAW (*[double dagger]), YUJI ISAGI ([dagger]), SHINGO KANEKO ([dagger]), DAVID M. J. S. BOWMAN (*), BARRY W. BROOK (*) Keywords: Bos javanicus; endangered species; translocation; non-native species; semidomestication Abstract: Abstract: The global species extinction crisis has provided the impetus for elaborate translocation, captive breeding, and cloning programs, but more extreme actions may be necessary. We used mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome, and nuclear lactoferrin-encoding gene sequencing to identify a wild population of a pure-strain endangered bovid (Bos javanicus) introduced into northern Australia over 150 years ago. This places the Australian population in a different conservation category relative to its domesticated conspecific in Indonesia (i.e., Bali cattle) that has varying degrees of introgression from other domesticated Bos spp. The success of this endangered non-native species demonstrates that although risky, the deliberate introduction of threatened exotic species into non-native habitat may provide, under some circumstances, a biologically feasible option for conserving large herbivores otherwise imperiled in their native range. Abstract (Spanish): Valor de Conservacion de Bos javanicus Introducido en el Norte de Australia Resumen: La crisis global de extincion ha proporcionado el impetu para elaborar programas de translocacion, reproduccion en cautiverio y clonacion, pero es probable que se requieran acciones mas extremas. Mediante la utilizacion de ADN mitocondrial, cromosoma-Y y secuenciacion del gene codificador de lactoferrina, reportamos la identificacion de una poblacion silvestre de una cepa pura del bovido en peligro (Bos javanicus) introducido en el norte de Australia hace mas de 150 anos. Esto coloca a la poblacion australiana en una categoria de conservacion diferente a la de su conespecifica en Indonesia (i.e., ganado de Bali) que tiene diferentes grados de introgresion de otras Boss spp. domesticadas. El exito de esta especie no nativa en peligro demuestra que, aunque arriesgada, la introduccion de especies exoticas amenazadas puede proporcionar, bajo ciertas circunstancias, una opcion biologicamente factible para la conservacion de herbivoros en peligro en su habitat nativo. Author Affiliation: (*)School for Environmental Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909, Australia ([dagger])Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima Pref., 739-8521 Japan. Article History: Paper submitted June 13, 2005; revised manuscript accepted November 7, 2005. Article note: ([double dagger]) email corey.bradshaw@cdu.edu.au