Presented during the 17h Annual Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group Meeting organized by the NGO Sahara Conservation Fund in Senegal, from 4 to 6 May 2017. The Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) gathers every year about a hundred people who are interested in the field of Sahelo-Saharan species conservation.

1. 17th Annual Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group Meeting
2 days of talks on biodiversity conservation in the Sahara and in the Sahel
Special Session on Dama Gazelle : cross-breeding experiment,Al Ain Zoo
Lisa BANFIELD et al., Unit Head Conservation Research - Al Ain Zoo
May 4 – 6, 2017

2. Dama Gazelle Cross-Breeding Experiment at AlAin Zoo – Brief Update
Mohammed Al Faqeer, Myyas Al Qarqas, Lisa Banfield &HelenSenn
SSIG, Saint-Louis, Senegal - April2017

3. former range
current wild
populations
ruficollisdamamhorr
ü
Background
Source of
mhorr stock
Source of
ruficollis stock
1
Senn et al (2014)
• Captive populations are based
on very few specimens from
opposite ends of the range.

4. Background
2
Senn et al (2014). PLOSONE9(6).
Splitting or Lumping?AConservation Dilemma Exemplified by the Critically
Endangered DamaGazelle (Nanger dama)
• Genetic analysis doesnot support
the proposedsubspecies

5. Background
3
Chad
Niger
• Variation in pelage characteristics
is seenwithin wild populations.

6. Background
4
ruficollisdamamhorr
ConservationSignificance
• Small population (c1500individuals)
• Inbreeding
Management Options:
• Translocations
• Reintroductions
• Supplementation
• Ex situ population management
• Conservation management
options will beincreased if we
stop managing the proposed
subspeciesseparately.

7. Cross Breeding
Experiment
5
Senn et al (2014)
• Al Ain Zoovolunteered to
carry out across-breeding
experiment to investigate
reproductive isolation and
phenotypic variation and
fitness of anyoffspring.

8. 6
Cross Breeding
Experiment
Group1 Group2
Group 3
(control
group)
Group4 Group5
Group 6
(control
group)
Group
Structur
e
1.1
MM ♂
AA♀
1.2
MM ♂
AA♀
1.2
AA♂
AA♀
1.2
AA♂
MM ♀
1.2
AA♂
MM ♀
1.2
MM ♂
MM ♀
Numberof
offspring
surviving
Nil 1.1 0.1 2.1 1.1 2.0
1.1 3.2Reproductive isolation?
Phase1 (2014-2016)
ReproductiveIsolation
• Thedama and mhorr subspeciesare not reproductively
isolated. Offspring appear healthy with noabnormalities.

9. 7
Cross Breeding
Experiment
mhorr xaddra(male)
Phase1 (2014-2016)
PhenotypicVariation

10. 8
Cross Breeding
Experiment
mhorr xaddra(female)
Phase1 (2014-2016)
PhenotypicVariation

11. 9
Cross Breeding
Experiment
addra xmhorr (male)
Phase1 (2014-2016)
PhenotypicVariation

12. 10
Cross Breeding
Experiment
addra xmhorr (female)
Phase1 (2014-2016)
PhenotypicVariation

13. 11
Cross Breeding
Experiment
FemaleMale
Phase1 (2014-2016)
PhenotypicVariation
ruficollisdamamhorr

14. 13
Cross Breeding
Experiment
Phase2 (2016 -)
• Various breeding
combinations
have been
created for theF2
generation.

15. 12
Cross Breeding
Experiment
Phase2 (2016 -)
F2Cross-breeds:
• addra-mhorr (m) xaddra-mhorr (f)
• addra-mhorr (m) xmhorr-addra (f)
• mhorr-addra (m) xmhorr-addra (f)
• mhorr-addra (m) xaddra-mhorr (f)
Group1
Group2
(originalgroup)
Group3
Group4
(originalgroup)
Group5
(originalgroup)
Group6
Group
Structur
e
1.3
MA ♂
AM ♀
MM ♀
AA♀
1.1
MM ♂
AA♀
1.3
AM ♂
MA ♀
AA ♀
MM
♀
1.1
AA♂
MM ♀
1.2
AA♂
MM ♀
1.2
AM ♂
AM ♀
AM♀
F2Back-crossing:
• addra-addra (m) xaddra-mhorr (f)
• addra-addra (m) xmhorr-addra (f)
• mhorr-mhorr (m) xaddra-mhorr (f)
• mhorr-mhorr (m) xmhorr-addra (f)
• addra-mhorr (m) xaddra-addra (f)
• addra-mhorr (m) xmhorr-mhorr (f)
• mhorr-addra (m) xaddra-addra (f)
• mhorr-addra (m) xmhorr-mhorr (f)
• Couldnot create all of the possible combinations due to limited number of animals. Howevermore
than half are covered. Thereare no offspring from these breeding groupsyet.

16. 14
Cross Breeding
Experiment
NextSteps
• Completion of Phase1 by disbanding remaininggroupings.
• Maintain Phase2 until offspring (F2)are produced.
• Genetic analysis end of 2017.
Concerns/Comments
• When to stop!
• What is the minimum data needed to provefitness?
• Decision/recommendation to manageasone.
Thankyou / Merci /
‫ارﻛش‬