Free mate choice enhances conservation breeding in the endangered giant panda
Open accessAbstract
Conservation breeding programmes have become an increasingly important tool to save endangered species, yet despite the allocation of significant resources, efforts to create self-sustaining populations have met with limited success. The iconic giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) embodies the struggles associated with ex situ species conservation. Here we show that behavioural mate preferences in giant pandas predict reproductive outcomes. Giant pandas paired with preferred partners have significantly higher copulation and birth rates. Reproductive rates increase further when both partners show mutual preference for one another. If managers were to incorporate mate preferences more fully into breeding management, the production of giant panda offspring for China’s reintroduction programme might be greatly expedited. When extended to the increasing numbers of species dependent on ex situ conservation breeding to avoid extinction, our findings highlight that mate preference and other aspects of informed behavioural management could make the difference between success and failure of these programmes.
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Similar personality has been suggested as a predictor for reproductive success in black rhinoceros and giant pandas, and sociality has been found to influence reproductive frequency in cheetahs.
“Similar personality has been suggested as a predictor for reproductive success in species including black rhinoceros [5] and giant pandas [46], and personality traits such as sociality have been found to influence reproductive frequency in species such as cheetah [52,53].”
From The Concept of Agency, Animal Wellbeing, and the Practical Realities of Ex Situ Breeding Programs in Zoos and Aquariums (2024) · cites this paper as [46]
The Results (Mutual mate preference and reproductive performance; page unavailable) link mutual mate preference with higher copulation and cub production in giant pandas. The Discussion says behavioural compatibility is a possible explanation but that the data do not identify the mechanism. The paper does not establish similarity of personality as a predictor; the black-rhinoceros and cheetah claims have separate citations and are not judged here. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredGiant pandas allowed to choose their mates freely had improved reproductive success, and this effect was increased when the choice was mutual.
“For example, giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) who were allowed to choose their mates freely had improved reproductive success, and this effect was increased when the choice was mutual between both members of the pairing [46].”
From The Concept of Agency, Animal Wellbeing, and the Practical Realities of Ex Situ Breeding Programs in Zoos and Aquariums (2024) · cites this paper as [46]
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Animal Welfare in Conservation Breeding: Applications and Challenges
Greggor, A. L., Vicino, G. A., Swaisgood, R. R., Fidgett, A., Brenner, D., Kinney, M. E., Farabaugh, S., Masuda, B., & Lamberski, N. (2018) · Frontiers in Veterinary Science · doi:10.3389/fvets.2018.00323 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Self-citationSocial interactions in zoo-housed elephants: factors affecting social relationships
Williams, E., Carter, A., Hall, C., & Bremner-Harrison, S. (2019) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani9100747 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Norman, M., & Brando, S. (2024) · Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens · doi:10.3390/jzbg5040038 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
- Authors
- Martin-Wintle, M. S., Shepherdson, D., Zhang, G., Zhang, H., Li, D., Zhou, X., Li, R., & Swaisgood, R. R.
- Affiliations
- Portland State University (US)
- Zoological Society of San Diego (US)
- Corresponding author
- Swaisgood, Ronald R.
- Venue
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2015-12-15
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 10125-10125
- ISSN
- 2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4682106
- OpenAlex
- W2199204756
- Cited by
- 118
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 2 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 7.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PDXScholar (Portland State University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Portland State University
- Animal Behavior Society
- Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Keywords
- giant panda, mate choice, conservation breeding, ex situ conservation, reproductive success, copulation rate, birth rate, threatened species, captive breeding management
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Ursidae, Breeding, China, Conservation of Natural Resources, Copulation, Female, Male, Mating Preference, Animal, Endangered Species
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