USE OF DNA-FINGERPRINTING IN PLANNING A BREEDING PROGRAM FOR THE RIVERINE RABBIT (BUNOLAGUS-MONTICULARIS)

The riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticularis) is an endangered and ende mic species found within a small geographic range in semiarid southern Africa. A captive breeding program has been initiated for reintroduci ng rabbits into suitable but vacant habitat. DNA fingerprinting was us ed to identify individuals within a captive group suitable for inclusi on in a larger captive breeding program. This methodology allowed the ranking of suitabilities of these individuals, and the results emphasi ze the need to capture wild rabbits over a wide geographic area for se tting up a larger founder population. A statistical technique for infe rring linkage between fingerprint probes was used. Fingerprinting meth odology allowed a genetic basis for planning the captive breeding prog ram. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.