中国麋鹿种群动态发展与挑战

Père David’s Deer(Elaphurus davidianus)in China:Population Dynamics and Challenges

稀有濒危物种的重引入是生态保护和生态系统恢复的最重要途径之一,但重引入的风险很高,大多数重引入项目都以失败告终,因此亟需成功经验。麋鹿(Elaphurus davidianus)可视为生态保护领域最成功的重引入案例之一,通过重引入和迁地保护,阻止了该物种的灭绝之路。清朝(1644-1912)年间,最后一群麋鹿被圈养在皇家猎苑,随着清朝的灭亡,仅存的麋鹿被劫掠至欧洲各大动物园,其中一群麋鹿被圈养在英国十四世贝福特公爵的乌邦寺庄园。1985至1987年间,乌邦寺分两批将38只麋鹿重引入到中国,饲养在北京麋鹿苑。1986年又引入39只到江苏大丰麋鹿国家级自然保护区。35年来,麋鹿种群得以重新恢复,超过700只麋鹿被从最初的2个分布地输送到另外82个分布地,截至2021年,全国麋鹿种群数量达到9136只,其中野生种群数量达到2855只。北京麋鹿苑的麋鹿数量为186只,江苏大丰麋鹿数量为5681只。然而,目前麋鹿保护仍面临严峻挑战。种群缺乏遗传多样性,近交退化现象严重,导致较高的流产率,对疾病的抵抗力下降,麋鹿寿命降低。环境因素如污染、生境破碎化等导致野生种群数量进一步降低,形成离散种群。此外,当前麋鹿保护缺乏国家层次的总体规划、协调一致的监测平台,对于圈养种群尚未制定繁殖策略。最后,麋鹿保护也缺乏有效的国际合作机制。我们建议形成国家层次的麋鹿保护总体规划,并构建国内外麋鹿种质资源共享数据库,涵盖世界范围内所有的迁地保护种群,以长效保护这一曾经野外灭绝的物种。

The reintroduction of rare and endangered species is one of the most important approaches to conservation and ecosystem restoration,but it has still proven to be an adventurous undertaking and most reintroduction programmes fail,so successful demonstrations are needed.Père David’s deer(Elaphurus davidianus,Milu in Chinese)could be considered one of conservation’s great success stories,as this species’path on the road to extinction has been reversed by a combination of ex-situ conservation and successful re-introduction in China.The species had been consigned to an imperial hunting ground when the last Chinese herds were exterminated during the fall of the Qing Dynasty(1644-1912).Fortunately,a few of the last remaining individuals were sent to European zoos.From these animals,a herd was bred on the 14;Duke of Bedford’s estate,Woburn Abbey,and between 1985and 1987,and 38 Milu were donated back to China for re-introduction in Beijing Milu Park(BMP),the former imperial hunting ground.An additional 39 deer were released at Dafeng National Nature Reserve(DFNNR),Jiangsu Province in 1986.In both of these safe and protected locations,the Milu thrived allowing for over 700 Milu to be sent to a further 82 sites throughout the species’original Chinese range over the last 36 years.As a result,the Milu population totaled 9136 by 2021,with 2855 individuals now living back in the wild;while another 5681 individuals inhabit the DFNNR,and 186 reside in BMP.Wild Milu,however,still face significant conservation challenges.The population lacks genetic diversity,leading to severe inbreeding depression and carrying multiple risks,such as high miscarriage rates,a reduced lifespan,and susceptibility to disease.Environmental constraints such as pollution and habitat fragmentation further result in small,fragmented wild populations.Moreover,the species currently lacks a national level conservation master plan,the associated coordinated monitoring platforms,and breeding plans for China’s captive populations.Finally,there is now a lack of international cooperation in the conservation of this species.We therefore call for both a national-level conservation master plan in China and international cooperation to develop a shared database and germplasm databank covering Milu across all countries with ex-situ populations,as crucial steps for securing the long-term conservation of Milu and preventing it from ever becoming“extinct in the wild”again.