Working with Indigenous rangers and conservation managers, University of Sydney And elsewhere, they sequenced the genomes of living organisms. Greater Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) And then it went extinct Lesser Bilby (Macrotis leuca).
The bilby is a unique marsupial and the only member of its family. Sugar gliderThese include the extant greater bilby and the extinct kobilby.
These animals are culturally significant to Aboriginal Australians and their common name is of Yuwaaraai origin. Bilba.
Bilbies were once an important source of meat for the desert people and their prized long black tails with white fluffy tips were used in cultural practices linked to deep symbolism of love and marriage.
Aboriginal knowledge, bilby song lineages, rituals and stories exist across Australia, connecting places and people, and even in areas where bilbies are now locally extinct, strong connections with the species continue.
The loss of indigenous knowledge and land management practices due to species decline is recognised as a threat to the survival of bilbies in the area.
Historically, the greater bilby was widespread, distributed across both arid and temperate regions, while the kobilby was restricted to the desert.
The decline of both bilby species has been attributed to the introduction of wild pests into Australia by European settlers, particularly predation by cats and foxes, competition with European rabbits, and changes in cultural fire practices.
Sadly, the Lesser Bilby is now extinct, having last been reported alive in 1931, although it may have survived in some desert areas until the 1960s and was well known to indigenous people of the Central Desert.
“The greater bilby reference genome is one of the highest quality marsupial genomes to date and is presented as nine segments representing each of the bilby chromosomes,” said Professor Carolyn Hogg from the University of Sydney.
“It provides insights into biology, evolution and population management.”
Professor Hogg and his colleagues used DNA from zoo animals to sequence the greater bilby's genome.
They also created the first genome of the extinct lesser bilby from the skull of a specimen collected in 1898.
“This research helps us understand what gives bilbies their unique sense of smell and how they survive in the desert without drinking water,” Prof Hogg said.
“Importantly, this genome is being used to manage bilby metapopulations in zoos, fenced reserves and islands.”
“By selecting individuals for transplant and release, we can maximize genetic diversity and improve the population's ability to adapt to a changing world.”
The authors also used the bilby genome to develop a more accurate fecal testing method to complement existing traditional land use practices by Indigenous rangers.
“We know a lot about bilbies – where they live, what they eat and how to track them,” says Scott West, a ranger at Kiwirrkurra Aboriginal Reserve in Western Australia.
“It's great to use an iPad for mapping and a camera for surveillance.”
“DNA studies will also help us to understand if the bilbies are related, where they come from and how far they may have migrated.”
“By using old and new methods together we can get useful information about bilbies and how to care for them – it's a two-way science.”
of result Published in the journal Natural Ecology and Evolution.
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CJ Hogg othersCombining genomes of extant and extinct bilbies with Indigenous knowledge will improve conservation of Australia's native marsupials. Nat Ecol EvolPublished online July 1, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02436-2
Source: www.sci.news
