Genetic variability and differentiation of two bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus populations and implications for reintroduction projects

Reintroduced bearded vultures Gypaetus barbatus in the Alps descend mainly from birds collected in the former Soviet Union. A second project has been initiated in southern Spain using the same bloodlines. We used DNA fingerpr inting to assess levels of genetic variability, and to determine genetic di fferences, among birds from the Pyrenees and birds from the Alps reintroduc tion project. The degree of fingerprint band-sharing was high within both p opulations, which points to low levels of genetic variation in each populat ion. On the other hand, common fingerprint fragments occurred at markedly d ifferent proportions in each population, suggesting some degree of populati on differentiation. Interbreeding would increase genetic variability in-the resulting populations. We thus recommend the incorporation of wild Pyrenea n birds to both the Alps and the Spanish breeding projects. (C) 1998 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.