Role of Wildlife Corridors in Maintaining Genetic Connectivity and Reducing Inbreeding in Leopard Populations

Abstract

Large carnivores are vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and other anthropogenic pressures that impede dispersal and gene flow, leading to higher levels of inbreeding and lower future population persistence. As an apex predator, leopards (Panthera pardus) are especially vulnerable to genetic threats to Central Indian forests. This research assesses the value of wildlife corridors in the form of gene flow and as measures against inbreeding through isolated leopard populations. Habitat use and movements of the population occurred within major protected areas and in smaller fragments of forest were monitored through field surveys, camera traps, scat sampling, and GPS collars. Allelic richness, heterozygosity, and inbreeding coefficients (F_IS) were quantified using genetic analyses with microsatellite markers, and functional corridors linking isolated habitats were identified using least-cost path (LCP) modeling in GIS. Results show that small, isolated patches have lower effective population sizes (Ne 18-22), higher inbreeding (F_IS up to 0.21) and higher inbreeding fixation index (F_IS 0.55-0.95), while larger protected areas have a higher genetic diversity (H_O 0.56-0.72, H_E 0.60-0.75) and lower inbreeding (F_IS 0.03-0.06) levels. There is high connectivity, and populations that are connected across corridors have reduced inbreeding (average F_IS = 0.08) than isolated populations (average F_IS = 0.19), demonstrated by a strong negative correlation between the two  (R² = 0.68, p < 0.01). The results highlight the importance of corridors for gene flow, alleviation of isolation, and increased resilience of populations. Through the incorporation of corridor networks in landscape management and protected area planning, mitigating human-wildlife conflict and contributing to long-term leopard conservation can occur. Specifically, the study offers tangible guidance for enacting policies that will help preserve ecological connectivity in fragmented landscapes.