Application of genetic methods for the detection of deer origin and existence of interspecific hybridization

Abstract

Hybridization between native red deer and non-native sika deer is a real threat in the Czech Republic, even though its existence has been questioned for a long time. The main cause of hybrids’ non-acceptance has been the fact that no reliable methods of their detection exist until recently. However, the application of modern molecular-genetic methods, mainly the analyses of microsatellite loci polymorphism, helps us to detect the proportion of hybrid individuals in wild populations and to establish necessary management measures for their elimination. Most importantly, the usage of molecular-genetic methods enables to detect hybrid individuals of next generations that bear no visible phenotypic signs of previous hybridisation