Non-invasive genetic analysis indicates low population connectivity in vulnerable Chinese gorals: concerns for segregated population management.

Detailed information on the size and genetic structure of wildlife populations is critical for developing effective conservation strategies, especially for those species that have suffered population decline and fragmentation due to anthropogenic activities. In the present study, we used a non-invasive approach combining fecal pellet sampling with mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA microsatellite marker analysis to monitor and compare the population structure of the Chinese goral () in Beijing and northeast Inner Mongolia in China. Of the 307 fecal samples confirmed to be from , 15 individuals (nine females and six males) were found in the Beijing population and 61 individuals (37 females and 24 males) were found in the Inner Mongolian population.