Coincidence of low genetic diversity and increasing population size in wild gaur populations in the Khao Phaeng Ma Non-Hunting Area, Thailand: A challenge for conservation management under human-wildlife conflict

Abstract

The gaur (Bos gaurus) is found throughout mainland South and Southeast Asia but is listed as an endangered species in Thailand with a decreasing population size and a reduction in suitable habitat. While gaur have shown a population recovery from 35 to 300 individuals within 30 years in the Khao Phaeng Ma (KPM) Non-Hunting Area, this has caused conflict with villagers along the border of the protected area. At the same time, the ecotourism potential of watching gaurs has boosted the local economy. In this study, 13 mitochondrial displacement-loop sequence samples taken from gaur with GPS collars were analyzed. Three haplotypes identified in the population were defined by only two parsimony informative sites (from 9 mutational steps of nucleotide difference). One haplotype was shared among eleven individuals located in different subpopulations/herds, suggesting very low genetic diversity with few maternal lineages in the founder population. Based on the current small number of sequences, neutrality and demographic expansion test results also showed that the population was likely to contract in the near future. These findings provide insight into the genetic diversity and demography of the wild gaur population in the KPM protected area that can inform long-term sustainable management action plans.