Methods and prospects for using molecular data in captive breeding programs: an empirical example using parma wallabies (Macropus parma).

Zoo and aquarium breeding programs rely on accurate pedigrees to manage the genetics and demographics of captive populations. Breeding recommendations are often encumbered, however, by unknown parentage. If an individual has any amount of unknown ancestry, the relationships between that individual and all other individuals in a population are ambiguous, and breeding recommendations cannot be tailored to maximize genetic diversity and minimize inbreeding.