GENETIC-VARIATION OF WOODLAND CARIBOU (RANGIFER TARANDUS) IN NORTH-AMERICA

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to examine genetic variati on in nine wild populations of woodland caribou, Rangifer tarandus, in North America. Serum samples were typed for 19 presumptive loci, of w hich only one was variable. Eleven alleles were identified at the tran sferrin locus. Significant variation in allele frequencies and substru cturing was found throughout the range, although relatively little gen etic heterogeneity occurred within populations and most of the variati on was contained between population. Geographic and genetic distance w ere significantly related. The endangered Selkirk population appears f ixed for a single allele at the transferrin locus. To maintain the res idual genetic variation in this population and to slow the rate of acc umulation of inbreeding, we recommend the division of Anahim and Revel stoke populations into neighborhoods and a conservative strategy of tr ansplants from these groups, without symmetrical exchange among popula tions in the western region.