🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Effective population size is often significantly smaller than the total number of individuals in small wildlife populations.
Ujung Kulon National Park covers roughly 1,200 square kilometers and contains every surviving Javan rhino. This makes it the sole genetic reservoir for the species. No secondary wild populations exist to preserve additional diversity. All births, deaths, and breeding interactions occur within this boundary. The effective population size is smaller than the census count due to limited breeders. Genetic drift therefore operates within a confined system. Conservation outcomes depend on maintaining stability inside this one reserve. The park now functions as the species’ entire evolutionary vault.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Genetic concentration increases vulnerability to stochastic events. Without separate subpopulations, any catastrophic loss affects total diversity. Conservation planning must therefore maintain habitat quality and demographic stability. Establishing a second site would diversify genetic risk, but implementation remains complex. Until then, the species’ entire gene pool resides within one forest.
The broader implication is that biodiversity can become geographically compressed into single nodes. A map boundary now defines evolutionary continuity. The Javan rhino’s genetic future depends on decisions made within one protected landscape. Survival rests on preserving this reservoir intact. In this case, conservation geography equals genetic destiny.
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