Editing Inbreeding (section)

===Examples===
Although there are several examples of inbred populations of wild animals, the negative consequences of this inbreeding are poorly documented.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} In the [[South American sea lion]], there was concern that recent population crashes would reduce genetic diversity. Historical analysis indicated that a population expansion from just two matrilineal lines was responsible for most of the individuals within the population. Even so, the diversity within the lines allowed great variation in the gene pool that may help to protect the South American sea lion from extinction.<ref>{{cite web | vauthors = Freilich S, Hoelzel AR, Choudhury SR | url = http://www.dur.ac.uk/anthropology.journal/vol13/iss1/posters/freilich.pdf | title = Genetic diversity and population genetic structure in the South American sea lion (''Otaria flavescens'') | publisher = Department of Anthropology and School of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, University of Durham, U.K. }}</ref>
[[File:Heterozygous.jpg|thumb|Heterozygous]]
In lions, [[Lion#Group organisation|prides]] are often followed by related males in bachelor groups. When the dominant male is killed or driven off by one of these bachelors, a father may be replaced by his son. There is no mechanism for preventing inbreeding or to ensure outcrossing. In the prides, most lionesses are related to one another. If there is more than one dominant male, the group of [[alpha male]]s are usually related. Two lines are then being "line bred". Also, in some populations, such as the [[Ngorongoro Crater|Crater]] lions, it is known that a population bottleneck has occurred. Researchers found far greater genetic [[heterozygosity]] than expected.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite journal | vauthors = Gilbert DA, Packer C, Pusey AE, Stephens JC, O'Brien SJ | title = Analytical DNA fingerprinting in lions: parentage, genetic diversity, and kinship | journal = The Journal of Heredity | volume = 82 | issue = 5 | pages = 378–86 | date = 1991-10-01 | pmid = 1940281 | doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a111107}}</ref> In fact, predators are known for low genetic variance, along with most of the top portion of the trophic levels of an [[ecosystem]].<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1351/pac199870112079 |title=Biodiversity and intraspecific genetic variation |journal=Pure and Applied Chemistry |volume=70 |issue=11 |pages=2079–2084 |year=1998 |last1=Ramel |first1=C |citeseerx=10.1.1.484.8521 |s2cid=27867275 }}</ref> Additionally, the alpha males of two neighboring prides can be from the same litter; one brother may come to acquire leadership over another's pride, and subsequently mate with his 'nieces' or cousins. However, killing another male's cubs, upon the takeover, allows the new selected gene complement of the incoming alpha male to prevail over the previous male. There are genetic [[assay]]s being scheduled for lions to determine their genetic diversity. The preliminary studies show results inconsistent with the outcrossing paradigm based on individual environments of the studied groups.<ref name="autogenerated1" />

In Central California, [[sea otters]] were thought to have been driven to extinction due to over hunting, until a small colony was discovered in the Point Sur region in the 1930s.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kenyon|first=Karl W. |date=August 1969 |title=The sea otter in the eastern Pacific Ocean |journal=North American Fauna|language=en-US|volume=68|page=13 |doi=10.3996/nafa.68.0001 |doi-access=free |bibcode=1969usgs.rept...13K }}</ref> Since then, the population has grown and spread along the central Californian coast to around 2,000 individuals, a level that has remained stable for over a decade. Population growth is limited by the fact that all Californian sea otters are descended from the isolated colony, resulting in inbreeding.<ref>{{Cite journal| vauthors = Bodkin JL, Ballachey BE, Cronin MA, Scribner KT | date=December 1999|title=Population Demographics and Genetic Diversity in Remnant and Translocated Populations of Sea Otters |journal=Conservation Biology |volume=13 |issue=6 |pages=1378–85 |doi=10.1046/j.1523-1739.1999.98124.x | bibcode=1999ConBi..13.1378B| s2cid=86833574}}</ref>

Cheetahs are another example of inbreeding. Thousands of years ago, the cheetah went through a population bottleneck that reduced its population dramatically so the animals that are alive today are all related to one another. A consequence from inbreeding for this species has been high juvenile mortality, low fecundity, and poor breeding success.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1996)15:4<353::AID-ZOO1>3.0.CO;2-A |title=Reassessing the relationship between juvenile mortality and genetic monomorphism in captive cheetahs |journal=Zoo Biology |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=353–369 |year=1996 |last1=Wielebnowski |first1=Nadja }}</ref>

In a study on an island population of song sparrows, individuals that were inbred showed significantly lower survival rates than outbred individuals during a severe winter weather related population crash. These studies show that inbreeding depression and ecological factors have an influence on survival.<ref name="Pusey, A. 1996"/>

The [[Florida panther]] population was reduced to about 30 animals, so inbreeding became a problem. Several females were imported from Texas and now the population is better off genetically.<ref>[https://www.ucf.edu/news/genetic-rescue-of-florida-panthers-may-have-had-unintended-consequences/#:~:text=any%20future%20introductions.-,The%20Florida%20panther's%20population%20reached%20a%20dangerously%20low%20number%20of,as%20cryptorchidism%2C%20and%20other%20diseases. UCF report on complex genetic health of Florida panther]</ref><ref>Johnson, Warren E., David P. Onorato, Melody E. Roelke, E. Darrell Land, Mark Cunningham, Robert C. Belden, Roy McBride et al. "Genetic restoration of the Florida panther." ''Science'' 329, no. 5999 (2010): 1641-1645.</ref>