Wild camel (Camelus ferus) conservation genomics: Twenty+ years of genetic research

The integration of genomic data in the monitoring of wild populations plays an important role for the development of conservation and management strategies. Conservation genetic studies have been essential to investigate the genetic and ecological status-quo of wild camels in their natural habitat. First described by Nikolaj Przewalski in 1878, wild camels were once distributed throughout the desert areas of Central Asia. Today, they have become restricted to four separated desert areas of China (the Gashun Gobi, Lop Nur, Taklamakan) and Mongolia (Great Gobi A Strictly Protected Area) with an estimated population size between 400 and 1100 individuals. The species status of the wild two-humped camel has long been under debate. Morphological resemblances with its domestic congener led to the assumption that wild camels were merely descendants of domestic animals that returned to the wild. Notably, the International Commission of Nomenclature (2003) ascribed the first available specific name based on a wild population “Camelus ferus” to the wild camel. An important step for the conservation of the wild camel was the confirmation of its legal species status and its long-term divergence from the domestic Bactrian camel around 1.1 [0.58–1.8] million years ago. Through genome-wide analysis, we detected introgression of domestic camel genes in the Mongolian wild camel genomes. In this review article, we give an overview about the achievements of over more than 20 years in wild camel genomic research. Particularly, we emphasize that wild two-humped camels are an evolutionary significant species, which are threatened by hybridization with domestic two-humped camels. We reflect that parts of the genome in wild camels show a reduced amount of diversity when compared to Bactrian camels, including genes involved in immune response and shy behaviour. Ongoing genetic monitoring efforts aim to support the conservation of these Critically Endangered (IUCN) animals.

Wild Camel Protect Foundation, UK
Wild Camel Protection Foundation Mongolia