They propose hybridizing the Cantabrian rooster to get it out of danger.

2024/05/15 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena
• Ekonomia
• Zoologia
• Ekologia

Researchers at the Doñana Biological Station (CSIC) have concluded that for the Cantabrian rooster (Tetrao urogallus cantabricus) to survive it needs genes of another population. In fact, although the hunting of the rooster is currently prohibited, the hunting of males especially in the last century has led the population to endogamy. Likewise, scientists have considered it as a subspecies and, in order to preserve its peculiarities, the possible genetic flow with other populations has been hampered. And now the population is in danger of extinction.

To address this situation, researchers propose hybridizing with another population to promote genetic diversity. Another, in spices, has been shown to be a good solution and is expected to be also suitable for the rooster. In short, taxonomic classification criteria may vary, and in this case researchers do not believe that there is a scientific basis for classifying wild subspecies. Moreover, for the Cantabrian wild this classification is being absolutely harmful.

Researchers have explained that endogamy can lead to the disappearance of a population, although the initial threat has disappeared. It is a self-nourished phenomenon in which the negative effects of endogamy, reproduction, survival or both produce population losses that, in turn, cause worsening of endogamy. For example, the data collected on the Cantabrian Gallo between 1950 and 2020 show a reduction in the number of eggs per nest to more than half. To this has been added the high mortality of chickens.

Therefore, although in other cases the maintenance of the specificity of a species has been beneficial for its survival, researchers propose to bet on hybridization. The study has been published in the journal Evolutionary Applications.