Genetic insights into dispersal distance and disperser fitness of African lions (Panthera leo) from the latitudinal extremes of the Kruger National Park, South Africa

BACKGROUND : Female lions generally do not disperse far beyond their natal range, while males can disperse distances of over 200 km. However, in bush-like ecosystems dispersal distances less than 25 km are reported. Here, we investigate dispersal in lions sampled from the northern and southern extremes of Kruger National Park, a bush-like ecosystem in South Africa where bovine tuberculosis prevalence ranges from low to high across a north-south gradient. RESULTS : A total of 109 individuals sampled from 1998 to 2004 were typed using 11 microsatellite markers, and mitochondrial RS-3 gene sequences were generated for 28 of these individuals. Considerable north-south genetic differentiation was observed in both datasets. Dispersal was male-biased and generally further than 25 km, with long-distance male gene flow (75–200 km, detected for two individuals) confirming that male lions can travel large distances, even in bush-like ecosystems. In contrast, females generally did not disperse further than 20 km, with two distinctive RS-3 gene clusters for northern and southern females indicating no or rare long-distance female dispersal. However, dispersal rate for the predominantly non-territorial females from southern Kruger (fraction dispersers ≥0.68) was higher than previously reported. Of relevance was the below-average body condition of dispersers and their low presence in prides, suggesting low fitness. CONCLUSIONS : Large genetic differences between the two sampling localities, and low relatedness among males and high dispersal rates among females in the south, suggestive of unstable territory structure and high pride turnover, have potential implications for spread of diseases and the management of the Kruger lion population.Additional file 1: Background information on the analysed lions.Additional file 2: Comma delimited sheet (*.csv) with raw data per individual, including data on microsatellite genotype, mtDNA haplotype number, sampling date, GPS coordinates, age, sex, BCS, FIV status, BTB status, socialisation, territory size, cluster assignment according to Structure.Additional file 3: Map of sampling localities.Additional file 4: Table with some characteristics of the northern and southern subpopulation.Additional file 5: No discernible effect of lion age and sampling date on isolation-by-distance analyses.Additional file 6: Figure showing absence of isolation-by-distance among males ≥3 year old.Additional file 7: Figure showing the number of microsatellite clusters based on the software Structure using the method of Evanno et al... 2005.Additional file 8: Figure showing the fraction of candidate residents, candidate dispersers and individuals with mixed ancestry per locality.Additional file 9: Figure showing the cumulative frequency distribution of the proportion of DNA per individual assigned to the local microsatellite cluster by the software Structure.Additional file 10: Figure showing the relationship between body condition and age per locality (logistic regression).Lion captures were funded through The South African Veterinary Foundation and the Directorate of Animal Health of the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and all genetic analyses through individual (ADSB) and facilities (No: UID78566) grants awarded by the National Research Foundation funding of South Africa. DFK was the recipient of a doctoral bursary awarded by the University of Pretoria. PVH was the recipient of a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Pretoria. The funders had no input into study design, data analyses and data interpretation.https://bmcgenet.biomedcentral.comam2018Mammal Research InstituteVeterinary Tropical DiseasesZoology and Entomolog