Authors: Mueller, Sarah;

Population genomic methods allow for better estimates of key features of wild populations: including effective population size, inbreeding, demographic history and population structure. These estimates can inform ongoing conservation efforts, however, the gap between researchers and practitioners can make integration of scientific results into clear actions difficult. Using the Eurasian lynx as a case study, I will show how population genomic analyses can translate into clear conservation action, providing a framework for future projects. The Eurasian lynx is a large carnivore, which became locally extinct in Central Europe in the 20th century and has since been reintroduced in several countries beginning in the 1970s. We investigated how reintroduction has shaped the demography of isolated Eurasian lynx populations, finding evidence of a strong founder effect and high levels of recent inbreeding in several populations. Our results indicate that reintroduced populations are vulnerable to the negative effects of inbreeding and small population sizes and conservation action will be needed to reach the overarching goal of a self-sustaining populations in the long term. These results have been integrated into management strategies, at a national and international level, involving newly planned translocations for the hopeful establishment of a European metapopulation of Eurasian lynx.