September 3, 2018, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
Conservation and monitoring
efforts for the golden eagle will benefit from the newly-completed golden eagle
genome sequence – the first of 25 species' genomes sequenced by the Wellcome
Sanger Institute, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh.
The golden eagle genome, released
today (31 August), will help scientists and conservationists understand the
diversity and viability of the species worldwide. It will ultimately aid the
monitoring of existing, reinforced and reintroduced populations of golden eagles,
such as those in the South of Scotland Golden Eagle translocation project,
which aims to bolster the protected species' population.
There are around 300,000 golden
eagles worldwide, with between 9,300-12,300 pairs living in Europe. Despite
being listed as 'least concern' by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and
having widespread populations worldwide, the 508 breeding pairs of golden
eagles in the UK are largely restricted to the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
The Scottish population is on the
edge of the global range, and many existing world populations are small and
declining.
For the first time, the golden
eagle has had its genome sequenced by the Sanger Institute and its partners, in
celebration of Sanger's 25th anniversary.
The genome will enable additional
studies of golden eagles and will help in the conservation and
monitoring of the species. The genetic information will aid in identifying
populations or individuals that might be best involved in any reintroduction or
other conservation projects.
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