🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Wildlife corridors help maintain gene flow between isolated tiger populations.
When populations shrink drastically, genetic diversity declines. The Malayan tiger’s critically low numbers increase the likelihood of inbreeding. Reduced genetic variation can lower fertility, weaken immune systems, and decrease adaptability to environmental change. Small populations are also more vulnerable to random genetic drift. Over generations, harmful mutations may accumulate. This phenomenon is known as a genetic bottleneck. Once diversity is lost, recovery becomes far more difficult even if numbers rebound.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Genetic health influences long-term survival more than raw population counts alone. A population of 150 with limited diversity may struggle to adapt to disease outbreaks or climate shifts. Conservation breeding programs must carefully manage lineage to prevent compounding bottlenecks.
If genetic erosion continues unchecked, extinction risk persists even under protection. Saving habitat is essential, but maintaining viable gene flow between forest blocks is equally critical. Without sufficient diversity, the species could survive numerically yet remain biologically fragile.
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